FFIX: The Return of the Queen
by Solark
Summary: The battle against Kuja was over and Zidane has returned. But something weird is happening in Alexandria, something that happened over 500 years ago. Will history repeat or will good prevail this time. Rated for language and some intense fighting scenes
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: Hey all! I am an avid fan of FFIX. I played it originally when it came out and had played it some 7 times since! I love the game and it is by far my favourite! This is my first fan fic and I hope you like it. The story will take place some time after the ending and be based off of my interperetation of some of the games plot holes and story lines. It will be an adventure full of humor and action and some romance. Please read and review as follows.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own FFIX or any of the concepts of the original game. Square Enix owns them. I do however own anything pertaining to my original creation and everything else not owned my Square Enix!**

**Prologue**

_O…holy guardian hear our prayer,_

_Deliver us from darkness and into the light._

_O…holy guardian hear our prayer,_

_Deliver us from darkness and into the light._


	2. Ch 1: A Dream in the Night

**Author's Note: Hey sorry for the last tiny prologue but it was necessary. Dont worry though, that small phrase will have its purpose. Many thanks for the one reviewer. Was not expected but I appreciate it non the less. Well here is the first chapter and I hope you do enjoy it. i am really enjoying the writing part so as long as i get some followers (lol) then i will continue to update as fast as i can type. Well without further adue, here it is, the first chapter in the this epic adventure.**

**Disclaimer: Square-Enix owns its crap, and I own mine! **

**Chapter 1:**

**A Dream in the Night**

A blinding flash of lighting illuminated the empty alleyway of the deserted cobblestone street. The thunderous sound that trailed after seemed to shake loose the very existence of the wooden structures that lined the alleyway. A heavy rain played its moist ballad on the roofs, almost like a drummer before an execution. Dark ominous clouds covered the sky for as far as the eye could see, signaling no end to the perpetual blackness.

The city seemed completely deserted. There was an eerie mist in the atmosphere, coupled with the eternal emptiness that was present. Not a soul was present in the street or in any of the buildings as not a light was on. It was almost as if the city had been suddenly deserted. The buildings looked like they still held valuable commodities inside them, things that were left behind because there value was not equal to ones life. But the empty buildings and quiet atmosphere were not as startling as what lied at the end of the alleyway.

Standing there between the main city streets and the mountains behind, surrounded by a large moat was the city's palace. The palace was built as a stone and marble castle and was the crown jewel of the city. There were four towers in each corner of the same height, giving the castle a perfectly symmetrical shape. In the center of the castle stood the most stunning piece of decoration in the world, a two hundred foot tall sword. The sword was the most spectacular site to view, especially in the sun when its smooth surface shone brightly like that of a jewel. But that sword was not shining today as there was no sun anywhere to be seen. A dark mystical cloud surrounded the sword, giving the impression that the sword was piercing throught the eternal darkness above.

Even through all the rain and thunder, there seemed to be something else in the atmosphere, something that could pierce through all the higher interference. That something was a human voice. But where was it coming from? It was almost as if the clouds were speaking but that could not be true. Maybe it was coming from the castle. Was there somebody here after all?

The entrance to the castle was grand, with two huge, elegant wooden doors that stood twenty feet high. They had carvings of some angelic winds on them. Throught the doors there was a grand foyer, with a beautiful carpet and decorations. Still there was nobody. A split staircase lay at the back of the foyer and led to a balcony above. From there the hallway led to another side staircase. Both the stairs and hall were adorned with dazzling paintings and decorations, the likes of which could only signal royalty. At the top of that staircase lied another hallway with a marvelously detailed carpet leading to a double door. Through the doors another grand opening that seemed to serve no purpose other then a gathering area. In the opening there were two exits ahead. A double door and a single door to the left of those double doors. The single door was open.

_'O…holy guardian, hear our prayer…'_

Now the words spoken by the mysterious voice could be heard. The sound came directly from the open door. Through the door there was a winding staircase with statues on each platform. The statues held swords in their hands similar to the enormous sword that stood on top of the castle. At the top of this winding staircase lay something that could only be described as magical. Bright pink, purple, and blue light was shining from every corner of what seemed to be some sort of holy temple.

_'Deliver us from darkness and into the light.'_

Illuminated by the surreal light was a staircase, from which the voice appeared to have emanated. The stairs were long and curved. They brought with them an alien feeling that they did not belong. At the top of the stairs lay what seemed to be an altar, except there was no table. There was only a giant circular area with mystical drawings on the floor. But most alarming thing about the area was not the drawing; it was in fact the figure that was kneeling in the center of the circle. The figure was about three feet tall kneeling down but any detail beyond that was hard to determine due to the immense darkness. One thing was for certain, the figure was speaking.

_'O…holy guardian, hear our prayer; deliver us from darkness and into the light.'_

A thunderous shock of lightning clearly illuminated the figure on the floor. He looked like and old man with a blue long rode. But there was one thing about him that seemed different. There above the man's eyes on his forehead, he had a horn.

­­­­­­­­­­

Lying in her bed, Garnet awoke with a start. She looked around the room to see if any of the guards were present. Nobody was there. Slowly her hand moved to her forehead. A lone tear trickled down her face. She wiped it away. Nobody can see her like this, they would be suspicious. She got out of bed and started to get dressed and freshen up. The dream would bother her no more today; she had other matters to attend to. Plus she did not want a certain person to find out about them. Not yet anyway.

** Thanks for reading and please R&R! I know you all cannot wait to read more into this adventure that will bring new light into the tale and characters of FFIX!**


	3. Ch 2: Sworn Duties

**Author's Note: Here is the next chapter in this epic. Don't worry that these seem a little boring; they are needed to build the plot. And please dont kill me for what you are about to read. Anyway here it is and enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: Square-Enix takes credit for its products and I for mine! **

**Chapter 2: **

**Sworn Duties **

"Com'on Gene," Zidane encouraged as he faced the little black mage. "Show me what Vivi taught you."

"O…Ok," the little black mage responded, in her usual shy, timid way. She was about one inch shorter then her father was and wore the same type of clothes. Her shoes were purple; she had white pants, a pink jacket, and a yellow hat. She readied her small wooden mage staff and looked up at the thief in front of her, "Alrighty, here I go."

Gene closed her eyes and concentrated as much of her magical energy as she could. She felt the comforting tingly feeling of the magic flowing through her. Satisfied with her preparation, she opened her eyes to look at Zidane and nodded.

The young bandit saw she was ready and prepared for the duel. He got into his attacking stance and though out his strategy. He tightened his grip on the non-lethal rubber daggers he had in his hands. Within a blink of an eye, Zidane burst towards Gene. Before he knew it, there was a blinding flash of light and he was knocked backwards ten feet. The stunned thief got to his feet and brushed himself off. He picked up his practice daggers and turned his blue eyes on Gene.

"M-Mister Zidane, I'm sorry," Gene said apologetically, "It's just that you startled me. You came at me so quickly."

"Whoa Gene," the blonde interrupted, "How many times do I have to tell you, just call me Zidane."

"Alright…Zidane," the little mage squeezed out, "I didn't mean to do that, it's just that…"

"Hey," Zidane interrupted again, "You did great. Vivi would have been proud." He proceeded to place his practice daggers back in the sheaths at his side. "I am very impressed, Gene."

"T-Thank you, Zidane," Gene said with a small but obvious blush being shown. "I guess I won this duel, huh."

"You sure have," the thief admitted, accepting his defeat. "I guess I am no match for you now. You are becoming to powerful. Here take this," he said as he handed her fifty gil, "and go buy some food. I bet you're hungry. Plus you have earned it."

"T-Thanks Mis…I mean Zidane," she said, taking the gil and placing it in her pocket. "I think I will get some yummy kupo nuts," she stated before starting towards the market area. She did not get five feet before she tripped over her own foot. Slowly she rose back to her feet, brushed her pants off and continued on her track, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she just fell down on her own.

Zidane watched the little mage in the pink jacket run off to the busy market. _She is so much like her father_, he thought to himself. A small smile came to his face as he thought about the little timid black mage that he had protected and fought along side not less then a year ago. Vivi was more then just a companion to the thief, he was a friend. And this little mage that just left was his daughter, the only on that survived out of the seven. Zidane swore an oath to himself and his former friend that he would protect Gene with his live, and he intended to do just that.

"So I take it you let her win," a strange but familiar voice said from behind the blonde thief. Zidane turned his head around to see his red-headed Tantalus brother standing in one of the openings to the Alexandrian Castle courtyard. "Either that or you have become really slow and unintelligent in battle situations, therefore leading you to be a liability to Tantalus and yourself." Blank stopped for a second to think about what he just said. He then looked back at Zidane, "You did let her win, right?"

The young bandit gave out a small chuckle. "You know me to well, bro," he responded, easing his friend's worried face. "She needs the confidence so I let myself get hit by her lightning attack, even though it was a little off target. She will get better, I know she will."

"Well she is learning from the best," the red-head stated sarcastically. "Anyway, I came to get ya cause the boss wants to see ya for a sec."

"Alright then," Zidane said, walking up to his friend and giving him a pat on the back, "let's go see what he wants."

* * *

As the sun was continuing to raise above the horizon and the early morning clouds, a female soldier was just finishing her rounds around the castle of Alexandria. She was a very attractive woman with deep brunette hair, brown eyes, but more importantly she had a devotion and will as strong as any man or woman that had ever walked the planet. Her armor was divine; the color of white pearl, shining silver and with a tint of red. She had a sword at her side that clearly labeled her as powerful. The weapon was beautifully made, from the carved handle with the Alexandrian markings to the perfect blade adorned with dazzling red jewels. The woman's shear presence in the hall of the castle caused every other person, both soldiers and castle personnel alike, to yield to her movements. She was the General of Alexandria and her name was Beatrix.

The general made her way down the hall and towards a destination that she traveled to every morning. Finally, Beatrix reached the door she had intended and gave a small but noticeable knock.

"Come in," a familiar voice said from the other side. Beatrix opened the door to a sight she saw everyday, which still gave her so much pride that it brought even the slightest smile to the toughest and most powerful general in Alexandria. There standing before her was the reason for her duties in life; the Queen of Alexandria, Garnet Til Alexandros the 17th. The young seventeen year old was the most beautiful, most elegant queen Alexandria had ever had. She had rich, dark brunette hair, dark almond eyes, and was wearing a gorgeous white gown that had a light blue tint as well. Garnet looked up into her protector's eyes, "So what is on the agenda for today, Beatrix," she asked.

"Well to start off you do have that meeting with the delegates from Burmecia," the older woman informed. She gave Garnet a small smile but wiped it away when she saw the look in her queen's eyes.

"I think I am going to have to post-pone that meeting," the young brunette stated as she fiddled with her hands, "I just don't feel up to it right now."

"But my Queen, this meeting has been scheduled for months. These delegates have been waiting a long time to talk to you and I recommend that you give them as least that…"

"Beatrix," Garnet interrupted as she looked away out her window, "I appreciate your council but I just can't talk to them right now. I'm sorry." The seventeen year old walked over to the window and continued to look out.

"As you wish, your majesty," Beatrix said with obvious worry in her voice. "I will talk to them about rescheduling immediately."

Garnet turned her head to look at her general over her left shoulder. "Thank you, Beatrix," she said in a very soft tone. Whatever she was trying to hide was not fooling the general.

"Is something wrong, your majesty," Beatrix asked, becoming even more concerned. Even though her question would have been completely out of place with the queen's before, Garnet was different. She looked up to Beatrix as more then just a general. Beatrix was her friend and mentor.

The young queen turned back to the window she was at and closed her eyes. Reaching deep down she tried to find it in her to tell her general, but for some reason she just could not. Finally she sighed and shook her head, "Its nothing, Beatrix. Don't worry."

Even thought the older woman still did not believe everything was alright, she decided to stop the conversation there. She felt it best for her young queen to work what ever was on her mind out on her own. If she wanted to talk to her she would; in time. "Very well," Beatrix accepted as she slowly left the room, closing the door behind her.

Garnet opened her eyes to look out her window at the beautiful horizon beyond her kingdom. "I'm sorry, Beatrix," she said to herself. Of coarse her general was right. She knew she could not just put off the delegates; they had waited so long to talk to her. But she was in no mood to talk right now. They could wait for another time. There was only one person she wanted to see today.

**I am sorry! I am sorry! Please don't kill me! I just felt that Vivi was dead at the end of the game so he should be for this fic. But just you watch. Gene will continue his legacy. As always, please R&R!!!!! **


	4. Ch 3: Tantalus Times

**Author's Note: Sorry for the longer wait between updates but I have been playing FFXII in my spare time instead. Boy is that an amazing game. Anyway, thank you for the reviews and reading. So without further a due, here is the fic (6 PAGES!). Oh and here with your disclaimer is Amarant.**

**Amarant's Disclaimer: Solark does not own FFIX. Square-Enix owns it…except me. Nobody owns me. Solark owns his stuff but not me. I own myself. I tell myself what to do and-**

**Solark: OK Shut up Amarant! On with the story!**

**Chapter 3:**

**Tantalus Times**

"Zidane!" somebody yelled from inside the entrance to a beautifully elegant wooden airship. The ship was named the Prima Vista II; it was a theater airship built off the same design of its predecessor, the Prima Vista. The only difference between the new airship from the old one was that the Prima Vista II did not use the old technology of being powered by mist anymore. The newer model indeed had the newly incorporated steam powered engine, which most airships were now built with. A door opened on the side of the airship and a medium height, chubby man with a hammer and a face that could only attract a pack of wild fangs came out. The person was Cinna, another one of the blonde thief's Tantalus brothers. Cinna came over to there Zidane and Blank were standing and they all gave the Tantalus salute. "It's good to see ya, bro," Cinna said to the blonde as he signaled with his hammer to the inside of the airship, "The boss wants to see, so why don't ya head inside."

"Where is he," Zidane asked his friend.

"He is in the engine room," Cinna replied, "Where else would he be?"

"OK, thanks, bro," the blonde told his friend as he started inside. Before going in, however, he turned his turquoise eyes towards his friend with the hammer and then at the object in Cinna's other hand. He gave out a small chuckle, "So, when are you going to give up that doll, Cinna."

"THIS IS NOT A DOLL. IT'S A ROYAL ACTION FIGURE," Cinna yelled as he shook his hammer in Zidane's direction."

"It's still a doll, Cinna."

"NO IT'S NOT!!!" the hammer carrying bandit screamed as he turned his back to his blonde friend.

"…" Zidane signed as he made his sympathetic 'oh well' gesture with his arms. He then proceeded to enter the airship and head to the engine room to meet the boss.

Knowing that Zidane had left, Cinna looked at his doll of Garnet til Alexandros the 17th. "Don't listen to him. He's just jealous that he doesn't have you," he said to the doll.

"Wow, bro. You are pathetic," Blank stated as he made his way into the airship. "You do know he can get the real thing," the red-head yelled as he left.

Cinna chuckled slightly to himself and looked at the doll again. "And he's just sexually frustrated," he said to the doll again. He put the doll in his back pocket, "Well he must be, from what Ruby says."

* * *

Back inside the airship, Blank had finally caught up with Zidane who was not exactly in a haste to go see the boss.

"Ya know, Bro, you gotta drop that doll thing," the red haired thief lectured as they walked through the main cabin of the airship, "One day Cinna is gunna flip out on you. Who knows what he could do to you with that hammer of his." Blank threw Zidane a sarcastic 'you know what I mean' look as they approached the door to the engine room of the Prima Vista II.

The blonde thief stopped at the door and looked back at his friend. "You're a sick freak, bro," he said as he opened the door and entered.

"You're one to talk, perv," Blank responded as he followed Zidane in the engine room.

Inside the engine room was loud and smelt of oil. The leader of the Tantalus group stood near one of the steam engines, apparently looking at the main drive shaft that drove one of the many propellers that the airship had. His name was Baku, although everybody in Tantalus called him 'Boss' out of respect, and some out of fear. He was like a father figure to almost all of the members, as well as their leader. The heavy set man continued to look at the machinery in front of him, seemingly oblivious to the new presence in the room.

"AAAAACCHHHHHHOOOOOO! Hey, Zidane! What took ya so long?" Baku said in his naturally booming voice, without even turning around to look.

"Damn, boss," the blonde replied, a bit shocked, "I can't even sneak up on you anymore."

"Boy, I can smell you a mile away."

"Who me? I don't smell. I think you're mistaking me for Cinna!" Zidane growled.

"HEY! I heard that," Cinna whined as he entered the room, "I wash everyday you know!"

"With what, toilet water," Zidane said sarcastically as he chuckled to himself. It was with this comment that Blank could not hold his laughter in anymore. He had been trying to hold any outburst, while a smile did creep through to his mouth. Instantly he burst out laughing and fell to the floor, rolling around almost gasping for breath. Cinna's face turned red with anger as he should his hammer at both Zidane and Blank.

"ENOUGH!" a thunderous voice from within the room screamed. Baku stood there staring at the three younger members of Tantalus, as if he was trying to pound them into the ground with his eyes. "I did not bring you here to listen to your immature taunting and tantrums."

"Well your just lucky Marcus isn't here," the blonde piped up, "because if he was you wouldn't know what to do. You probably would lock yourself in here. All hail the power of four!" Zidane said raising his arms.

"You guys are going to be the end of me, you know."

"Naturally."

"I don't know if what we do IS natural, bro," the red-head stated causing Zidane to give a small laugh.

"No it's just cruel," the hammer carrying thief accused.

"Shut up!" Blank and Zidane both hissed at Cinna.

"ALRIGHT!" Baku hollered, trying to end the seemingly endless and pointless conversation. "Now listen up!"

"Yes Sir," all three said, obviously in a sarcastic tone.

"I have a favor to ask," the big man started, "the bearing in the main drive shaft of engine four has a lot of play and I don't want the thing failing while we are in the air. That could be bad."

"Could make for quite the show," Zidane interrupted.

"Yea and you could jump off right before it hits the ground like a lunatic," Blank added.

"Well, I need the bearing replaced," Baku continued, ignoring the pointless, yet expected interruption. "Problem is that the only place that makes the bearing is Daguerreo. That is who the Regent has had produce them since he invented the engine. I guess it keeps the cost down and gives the little town some work to do. Either way I need the part so we can make it home safely."

"So where do I come in?" the blonde asked, curious to know his bosses plan.

"Well seeing as you're part of the palace here and have direct contact with the right people, I was hoping you could get a ship and pick up the part for me," the Tantalus leader stated, "Do this for Tantalus. You owe us this much."

"I don't think I can swing that, boss. That seems to be a lot to ask. I mean I would be taking one of the army's airships away. I don't think they trust me that much yet," Zidane informed his boss.

"Well think of it this way, I ain't askin' ya. I'm tellin' ya!"

The blonde thief though for a second then looked up at Baku, "Sure thing. Can't hurt to try."

"Alright then. I'll meet ya back here once you got the part," the heavy set man acknowledged. The three members of Tantalus gave the Tantalus salute to their boss. Once he returned the gesture, they turned and exited the room.

Outside of the engine room, Zidane stopped and scratched his temple with his index finger. Blank saw his friend thinking and decided to ask, "So what's wrong, bro?"

Zidane looked at his red haired friend and shrugged. "Nothing, just trying to figure out a way to get one of the airships from the Alexandrian army," he finally spat out.

"Come on, bro. Just go ask your canary. I know you guys are more then just friends. Plus she is the Queen, she'd be happy to lend us a ship," Blank blurted out.

"We are just friends, plus she has meetings with some delegates today so she is busy."

"You guys aren't just friends, I can tell."

"O yea you are the master of relationships mister 'My face turns redder then a hedgehog pie when Ruby comes in the room'."

"Why you!" the red-head flared.

"Cool it, bro, I gotta think," Zidane commanded as he again scratched his temple.

"Why don't you just as that goofy knight guy," Blank questioned in a tone that clearly stated he had not forgotten the previous comment.

"Hey that's a good idea. Let's go pester Rusty about this. I am sure if I annoy him enough he will let me," the blonde thief grinned as he thought about it. Blank nodded as the two headed back to the castle.

* * *

"A-TTEN-TION!" sounded the loud, commanding voice of the newly appointed Sir Admiral Adelbert Steiner of Alexandria's Knights of Pluto. He was a proud man, devoted solely to his responsibilities to Alexandria, her citizen's, her fleet of airships, and above all; her Queen. Steiner watched with his ever growing temper, as his charges lined up as a flank in front of him. Once satisfied that every one of his eight knights was present and accounted for he began his lecture, "Let me get straight to the chase. It has come to my attention that there was a presence within our main battle airship, _The Zodiac_, last night." He stopped to let the toll of this news, and the tone in which he said it, sink into the group. After a few seconds of silence he continued, "So, how is it that Alexandria's newest and most coveted airship was mysteriously entered by some unknown body while we had two guards stationed on patrol!" Steiner's eyes immediately focused on two of his knights in the back line, Weimar and Haagen.

Both knights stood there with shocked, fake puzzled looks on their faces as some of their comrades around them began to chuckle softly. "We do not know, Sir," Haagen finally spat out.

"Is that so," the armor clad Admiral glared, "Well then do you care to explain why this was found in the main cabin area along with women's undergarments." Steiner continued to stare down the two knights as he held what was clearly a badge in his hand that read: Knights Of Pluto, Private Haagen.

"We…I…err-rrr….um," was all that Haagen would muster to get out.

"You really should do a better job of cleaning up after yourself," Steiner stated sarcastically with a smile.

"Admiral, I can explain, Sir," Haagen said, trying to finds his words carefully. But his time had run out, as had his admiral's patience.

"Enough!" the lead knight yelled, so loud in fact, he cause two Alexandrian soldiers nearby to jump a bit. "You two will have border duty for the next week. One of you at South Gate and the other at North Gate. That should keep you away from any sort of female influence for a while." Steiner let his words sink in again as he watched the expressions drop on the two accused knights in front of him. "You are all dismissed," he commanded and he watched as all eight of his knights dispersed to their assigned posts for the day, and especially watching the two slumping bodies as they walked towards the chocobo docks to their newly appointed assignments. A small grin was soon visable on the Admiral's face as he thought about how well he handled the situation.

"Yo, Rusty!" came the familiar voice from behind him as instantly his smile faded into a sigh and feeble roll of the eyes.

"Yes, Zidane," Steiner said without even turning around.

"How are things going today," the blonde asked as he approached.

"How many times do I have to ask you to call me Admiral…or at least Steiner," the heavy knight hollered as he turned around and jumped up and down a bit.

"At least one more time, Rusty."

"…," Steiner said as his shoulders slumped down, showing obvious stress over the situation, "What is it this time?"

"I need to ask you a favor. We need to borrow an airship for a little bit."

"You know very well I cannot just lend you one of Alexandria's airships. Why do you ask this?"

"A part has broken on the Prima Vista II and the only place that makes that part is Daguerreo. Baku needs the part or the ship can't fly safely," Zidane explained while gesturing with his hands.

"I still cannot allow you to take one of Alexandria's airships without somebody from the army present," Steiner stated shaking his head.

"Well how about you then, Rusty."

"Who…me. I cannot. I am sorry."

"Aww, com'on, Rusty. Please, it will only be a short while," the blonde thief pleaded.

"…," Steiner though for a moment. He looked up and into the blonde's turquoise eyes and sighed, "Very well, I will go and notify Beatrix. I am sure she can handle everything for a little while."

"Thanks, Rusty," Zidane said appreciatively.

"Go and get ready and then meet me onboard _The Judgment_. I shall await you there." And with that the Admiral was off.

Zidane walked over to the red-head, who was leaning against a far wall near the moat that circled the castle. "So," Blank asked as his friend approached.

"We got it," the blonde bandit answered," only Steiner is coming with us. Somebody from Alexandria needs to come if we use their airship."

"Oh well," Blank shrugged.

"H-Hey, Z-Zidane," came a softer stuttering voice from behind the blonde. He turned around to see Gene stand directly behind him. The little timid black mage played with her jacket as she stared at the ground.

"Hi, Gene," Zidane said, "What are you doing?"

"Looking for you."

"Oh, well I have to go somewhere for a little bit, but I will be right back, OK."

"W-Where are you going?" Gene continued to ask.

"I have to go to a place called Daguerreo."

"T-That sounds interesting. Can I come?"

"I think it would be better if you stayed here, Gene."

"I don't wanna stay here alone. I wanna go with you to D-Dag…that place," she said as she stared up at Zidane with her naturally blank face.

Zidane looked down at the little mage that he swore to protect and signed, "Alright you can come."

"Yay!"

"But stay near me, OK," the blonde stated as the little mage nodded in approval. He looked at her and then back at Blank. "Well we better get moving before Rusty has a temper and changes his mind."

With that the three made their way to the Alexandrian airship dock, which had been rebuilt much bigger then the original one, but still nothing compared to the docks in the neighborhood city of Lindblum. As they entered the dock, the group gasped at what they saw. Standing right in front of them was an airship of astounding beauty and fearsome power. The ship stood a good seventy-five feet high and was over two hundred feet long. The back of the ship looked like a neatly shattered and splintered piece of wood, with two of the longer struts that extended out having propellers installed on them. The main hull was massive, shaped like a tear drop and certainly meant for carrying large amounts of soldier very comfortably. The front of the ship had three large extending spears, two at the top and one at the bottom which were apparently only for decoration. In between these spears was a hemisphere of glass that without a doubt was where the bridge and controls were located to fly the airship. The ship was shades or red and white, with some silver bordering on the hull. On thing Zidane could not find was any sort of defense, like cannons or armor. Either way the airship was the most amazing thing ever built to fly.

"Is that _The Judgment_," Zidane asked still staring in wonder.

"No," Steiner said as he immerged from a small ship to the left of the group, "that is _The Zodiac_. That," he continued as he pointed to the ship he came out of, "is _The Judgment_."

"That thing," Zidane whined as he looked at the small airship with tiny propellers and room enough for only four. "You sure that can fit us all AND get off the ground."

"I am quite sure. Now we must make haste. Let us get that part and be done with it," the Admiral led the party onto _The Judgment_.

Zidane took one last look at the awesome _Zodiac_ airship and then ran to catch up with the party. Within minutes they were off and on there way towards Daguerreo, unaware of the danger they were leaving behind.

* * *

**Well you know the thing. Please Read and Review. I love reviews so please feel free to tell me anything you like. I can take any sort of criticism. I need it to become a better writer. Well this chapter my have a more humor then anything (please tell me what you think) but rest assured, action will soon be coming for you action seekers. I promise to update soon (most of the next chapter is written).**


	5. Ch 4: Random Encounters

**Author's Note: Sorry for the longer update, work and school took up a lot of time, as did FFXII! Great game! Oh and there are so many retards acting stupid during the PS3 launch. We had a theft and somebody standing in line got shot. Unbelievable! Anyway here is Kuja with the disclaimer.**

**Kuja's disclaimer: Solark is to stupid to invent all these characters himself. Somebody else had to have done it. I mean come on, I am an amazing character. How can a low life peasant like him, with no skills create me and…**

**Solark: OK…ok…I get it. On with the fic!!!! runs away crying**

**Chapter 4:**

**Random Encounters**

"DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING!" Steiner screamed as the airship started to pitch and roll on the pre-destined course. The last thing he needed was for the ship to crash and have to explain the situation back at Alexandria. Plus on top of that, he was becoming a little nausea's from the awkward movements.

"Oh, but it's so much fun, Rusty," the young blonde next to him pleaded sarcastically. Zidane gave the elder knight a sly grin and placed his hands on his lap innocently, his tail swaying lightly at his side. Behind him sat his friend from Tantalus, Blank with the little black mage, Gene, to his right. The tiny mage seemed to be playing with her hands, intent on not paying to much attention to the argument ensuing within the cockpit. Blank was staring at all the instruments that surrounded the group, the ones that Steiner had told them specifically not to touch.

"What does this thing do," the red head asked curiously as he proceeded to grab a lever with a red handle.

"NOOOOO!" yelled Steiner but he was too late. Instantly the heavy knight was thrown from his seat and crashed into the thick glass windshield in front of him. Thankfully for the group, the glass was strong enough to hold the impact. Steiner did not see things that way. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH ANYTHING!" he screamed again as he rubbed his newly bruised head.

"Well, maybe next time you should think about wearing this thing here, Rusty," Zidane informed as he pulled at the unbuckled seat-belt next to Steiner's seat, "It's called a seat-belt. You should try it sometime, because you never know when some idiot who can't read is going to pull the speed brake."

"It matters not!" hollered the knight again as he waved his hand at the two Tantalus members, "he should not have touched anything as I had informed!"

"Who are you calling an idiot," Blank asked Zidane, looking a bit puzzled.

"Obviously you," the blonde replied as he looked over his shoulder.

"I am not!"

"Hello, bro! Can't you read?" Zidane pointed to the letters under the lever that Blank had pulled. "It says 'Speed Brake!', just in case you didn't know it."

"Will you two-," Steiner tried to break up the argument, which by now was giving him a headache.

"How am I supposed to see that," Blank complained.

"What, now you need glasses, bro" Zidane teased, pointing to his own eyes.

"No, but they need to make those letters more obvious. I mean com'on, bro. A cool lever like this is just asking to get played with, unless they have a very visible warning sign, ya know."

"I demand tha-!" Steiner tried again, but still he was ignored.

"Maybe that head band thing is constricting your brain, bro" the blonde accused, gesturing to his own head with squeezing motions.

"Nothing is wrong with my brain," the red head barked back, "I just didn't notice the letters, that's all."

"Riiiight."

"H-Hey…Z-Zidane, is that that Dagger place," piped in Gene as she looked out the front window of the airship. Zidane stopped his argument with his friend and looked at the little mage to see her looking at something. He followed her line of sight and turned to look out the window as well. Directly in front of the airship was a small entrance to a village that looked to be surrounded by a waterfall. The entrance was located on a small platform of land on the edge of a cliff.

"Yup, that's Daguerreo," he confirmed as he took the airship off of auto-pilot and prepared to land in the grassy plains near the entrance, "we should be landing in a few.'

"Thank the gods," muttered Steiner as he clenched the arm rests on his seat. The fight seemed to have taken a toll on the knight, more mentally then physically.

Zidane brought _The Judgment_ down softly and safely, without any complications. He really was getting the hang of operating and flying airships with ample skill. Once the airship was on the ground, he shut down the engines and unbuckled his belt. "Alright guys, let's go get that part and then head home," he stated while opening the door to exit the airship.

"Yes, let us make haste," Steiner inputted as the rest of the group followed the blonde haired bandit.

Outside the sun was shinning brightly, turning the waterfall into a sparkling cascade of jewels falling around the beautifully ornamental doors that led into the small town. The glittering cascade poured over the cliff face and split right above the doors, emptying into a crystal clear basin in front of the entrance. Crossing the water was a solidly built bridge made of polished mythril and adorned by many shining turquoise jewels. The town was entirely isolated and had an enchanting peacefulness that seemed to never end.

As the group exited the airship, they were met by the amazing view before them. They took a few seconds to enjoy the beautiful sun and appreciate the peacefulness of the place. Zidane looked at Gene and then at Blank, each of whom had never been to Daguerreo. "Pretty cool, huh?" the blonde stated, obviously in the form of a question.

"Yea," combined Gene and Blank together as they continued to stare at the site in front of them.

"Well why don't we do inside then," Zidane encouraged, trying to get the attention of his two comrades that were still staring but not moving. His statement seemed to do the trick as then began to hurry towards the entrance. He got in front of the group and led them across the bridge that spanned the glittering water. "Let's hurry guys so we don't attract any monsters," he cautioned as they walked.

"Oh l-look," Gene screamed in an excited voice, "There's a kitten. How c-cool!"

Zidane froze in he tracks instantly, "To late," he said to himself. He whipped around to see what Gene was pointing to, even though he already knew. Sure enough, standing right there, now in front of the party, was a black cat; a Gimme Cat to be exact, the most annoying creature he had ever seen. The cat stood there waving its triangle tipped tail and branding a huge smile on its face. "DON'T GIVE IT ANYTHING!" Zidane shouted as he removed his daggers from his side.

"Gimme a Diamond!" the Gimme Cat asked in a scratchy voice with a slight hiss to it.

"Don't listen to it," the blonde stated again, a little more mellowed out, "This is a Gimme Cat. It is a fake and will take your Diamond and run if you give it one. Rusty learned this the hard way. Right, Rusty?" Zidane gave a sarcastic sympathetic look at the armor clad knight.

"Well how was I suppose to know," Steiner whined, clearly embarrassed by the event.

The blonde bandit gave him a small smirk in response. "Now you get to have some retribution," Zidane said tilting his head to the black cat still standing in front of the party, "Take him out, Rusty."

"Me? Why just me? Why can't you assist me!?"

"Because I just brought my regular daggers with me," the thief said holding up one of his daggers so the knight could see, "and they won't do me much good."

"Very well," Steiner sighed as he unsheathed the sword that he had at his side. The second the sword was out and was exposed to the suns rays, it seemed to sparkle with every color of the rainbow. The sword was adorned with many jewels and inscriptions, which were as powerful as they were beautiful. The sword was called the _Ragnarok_ and only Steiner could wield the weapon.

The heavy knight gripped the _Ragnarok_ tightly at the swords long hilt and positioned it in front of him, tip pointing up. He concentrated a great deal of his energy into his mind, and sent the energy and the command he wanted into the sword. Then without even so much a breath he charged at the Gimme Cat and brought his sword down and back up, straight into the creatures' heart with amazing precision. There was a quick flash of light followed but a very faint sound. The Gimme Cat gave out a shriek and fell to the ground instantly. Steiner walked back towards where the group was standing, sheathing his sword as he did so.

"Wow, Iai Strike," Zidane said as he widened his eyes, "You actually got it to work. I am impressed."

"Well, I have been practicing," Steiner answered with a proud smile on his face becoming present, "Beatrix has been helping me."

"That explains it," the blonde chuckled sarcastically, wiping the smile off of the knight's face with the comment.

"What is that suppose to mean," Steiner questioned the bandit.

"Oh nothing, Rusty. I'm just joking around. Anyway, we need to get moving so we can get back home before dark, OK," Zidane stated as he looking around at the group. They all nodded in approval, even thought Steiner was a little flustered about what Zidane had meant by his comment. He decided not to press it any further, knowing that the blonde thief was just making a friendly sarcastic remark.

Zidane saw that everybody was ready and proceeded to turn around and head to the doors again. He did not get more then five feet before a huge blue and purple flash of light landed right in front of him. The thunderous sound that trailed after caught him of guard and was so loud that the shockwave knocked him down.

"Are you alright, bro" his red haired friend worried as he helped the blonde back to his feet.

"I'm fine, but what was that," Zidane asked as he brushed himself off. Before Blank could answer there came a deafening roar from directly behind. The blonde's turquoise eyes rolled when he heard the creatures' sound, "Oh great!"

There, standing in between the party and the entrance to Daguerreo was a huge Grand Dragon. The creature was dark green, with a red under belly and razor sharp claws on the top of each of the beast's thirty foot wings. A small purple liquid dripped from those claws, signally the presence of poison as being part of the dragon's arsenal of weapons. Two three foot long horns protruded from the beast's head, giving the dragon a more fearsome look. The Grand Dragon lowered its head and let out another roar, obviously letting the party know it had no intention of backing down.

"Do we ever get a break," Zidane said in frustration as he pulled his daggers out of their sheaths again, "We just need a freakin' part!"

Steiner unsheathed the _Ragnarok_ sword again, as Gene readied her mage staff and Blank positioned his iron sword for the fight. Zidane looked over at the little mage that he helped train and could not help but worry a little. "Just remember what I told you, Gene," he said to her, "Stay focused and don't take your eyes off your enemy and you will be fine," he encouraged her. She returned his consul by giving him a reassuring nod, although it did nothing to take away his worry.

"Alright, watch this," yelled Blank as he ran at the dragon. He made quick hand movements around the creature and then ran back to the group holding something in the air, "I stole a tent!"

Zidane laughed at his friend, "That's all you got," he teased his friend from Tantalus. The blonde gave a huff and looked at the item in Blank's hand, "Watch this," he stated before running towards the dragon himself. He did the same thing Blank did with only one exception; he was much, much faster. Soon he was back with the party and handed his friend the item he had in his hand. "Wow, will you look at that, an ether," he said sarcastically.

"Always gotta one up me, don't ya?"

"Always," replied Zidane with a smile.

"Enough you two," hollered an irate Steiner, "We do not have time for this pig headed challenge you two are playing." With that he ran at the Grand Dragon and slashed at the creature with his sword, doing obvious damage, but not enough to kill the beast.

"Ok, Gene, freeze this guy," Zidane encouraged the little mage, who still had not made any sort of action in the fight.

Gene nodded and closed her eyes, concentrating her energy into generating a magic spell. Within a spilt second she was done and she flicked her staff, which was now sparking with magic power, towards the creature. Instantly a blue ball of ice formed, seamlessly superimposed within the dragon itself, and then shattered into tiny fragments of ice. This small blizzard attack seemed to agitate the beast more then hurt it. Immediately the dragon locked its red eyes onto Gene and lunged, lashing at her with its poison tipped claws. The little black mage did not stand a chance, as the creature connected with the attack and knocked her down.

"You BASTARD!" Zidane screamed as he watched the situation unfold. Instantly his instincts kicked in and he ran in front of the fallen mage. He gathered is thoughts and closed his eyes, thinking of the action he wanted to perform. Within seconds he opened his eyes and looked at the Grand Dragon, only to see the beast staring right back at him. He quickly reached his arm out towards the creature and opened his hand, fingers pointing upwards. Suddenly a huge treasure chest dropped out of the air and landed right in front of the dragon. The chest opened and released rays of golden light in every direction. The rays started to focus strictly on the creature itself and gathered energy. Suddenly there was a series of explosions that engulfed the Grand Dragon, as the chest disappeared into thin air. The beast gave out a howling scream before its head dropped to the ground and the last ounce of life left its body. The victory was bittersweet, as reality struck the group and they all ran to the aid of their fallen comrade.

"Gene, are you OK," the blonde said franticly as he knelt beside the little mage. Gene gave out a tiny moan in response to his overwhelming concern. Zidane heard her moan and gave a sigh, "She's OK. She has just been poisoned," he removed a small bottle from the bag that the group brought with them and removed the top.

"W-What's t-that?" Gene asked, seemingly out of breath.

"This is an antidote. This will remove the poison from your body," he informed her as she took the bottle. He then removed another bottle and opened that one as well, "And this is a potion, which will make you feel better."

"T-Thank you, Zidane," the little mage said as she drank the antidote and then the potion.

"Don't mention it," Zidane smiled at her as he rose to his feet from the knelt position he was in before, "You did a good job though. I'm impressed on how you kept your concentration and composure while facing that Grand Dragon."

"B-But I didn't do anything," Gene shook her head.

"True, but the point is that you tried. The Grand Dragon is probably way too powerful for you with your skill level, but you will get better soon. I have faith in you."

"Remember Mistress Gene, we will always be here to protect you and aid you when you need," Steiner piped in with his usual loud voice.

"Rusty's right,' Zidane acknowledged the knight's consul, "We will be your sword and armor when you need us."

"T-Thanks," the little mage nodded. She brushed her pants off and walked over to her staff, which she had dropped and picked the magical weapon up.

"Now let us make haste," Steiner said finally as the rest of the party gathered their things together.

"Yeah, let's get moving," Blank added as he looked around the area, "Before any more monsters see us." The rest of the group nodded in approval and they made their way across the bridge and into the small town of Daguerreo without any further incident.

* * *

The queen of Alexandria stood there in disbelief as she received the report from General Beatrix. "HE WENT WHERE!?" she screamed after the general told her the news.

"Yes my Queen," Beatrix tried to calm her, knowing she would get this reaction ahead of time, "Admiral Steiner informed me that he needed to go retrieve a certain part for Baku that is only made in Daguerreo. I am sure he will be back here soon, your Majesty."

"I told him never to go off without telling me," the young queen shook her head. She had hoped to see Zidane today. More then hoped; she had wanted to. Why did he have to go off again? She had told him to let her know any time he was going to leave the city. Not because she wanted to control him. No that was not what she wanted at all. She just worried about him. After his heroic, yet idiotic venture back into the violent Iifa Tree to save his demonic brother Kuja, he did not return to her. Before he left into the tree, he promised her that he would return. It took him six months to come back. Those six months were the worst of her life. There was not a second that went by that she did not think of him. The way he smiled, his humor, his bravery, and most of all, the way he protected her. Even though he never did express his feelings for her back then, she knew. She somehow had always known. During those six months, she could not think straight. Beatrix and Steiner offered to help her rule the kingdom, to take some of the burden off her shoulders but she refused. She held strong through her inner grief at continued to rule as if she had accepted his fate and moved on, but never gave up hope that he would return. He had promised he would. And he did. That day was the happiest day of her young life. After he returned, she vowed never to go through the pain of waiting and worry, hoping he was alive ever again. She made him promise that he would never leave her without telling her where he was going and what he was doing. But the thing she forgot about Zidane was that he was a free spirit. That is what she loved most about him, and that was also the part that gave her so much emotional pain. She looked back up into her general's eyes and sighed, "I do not want him to feel tied down or anything, Beatrix. He just worries me when he runs off without notice. I just wish he would let me know so I could feel a little more comfortable."

"That is a very reasonable request," Beatrix smiled at the young brunette. She knew how the queen felt about the young bandit and tried her best to remedy any situations and guide the young girl through the emotions of a relationship. The job was tough, as Garnet and Zidane were still a bit young, while at the same time tried to act above there age. They were crazy about each other but continued to act nervous about their relationship when they were together. The General rested her hand on the arm of her queen, "But remember, Zidane is young, as are you. In time he will come to realize your feelings and change his ways. He has been free to go anywhere all his life when he wants, so it will take him some time to change, your Majesty."

"I suppose you are right," Garnet sighed as she turned around and walked over to the large elegant window in the castle's throne room. She lightly parted the white, silk curtains and looked outside into the bright, beautiful afternoon sky. "I just wanted to see him," she managed to say, continuing to look out the window.

"I understand, my Queen," Beatrix acknowledged, placing her arms at her sides, "Before I dismiss myself I did want to inform you of another matter."

"Yes," the brunette queen turned around to face her General.

"I have a relative coming to visit me in a week, a cousin to be precise. He lives in Esto Gaza."

"Oh, what is his name?"

"His name is Nathan, your Majesty."

"Why are you informing me of this, Beatrix," Garnet finally asked walked back towards her general, "Are you going to be in need of some time off?"

"No, your Majesty. I was wondering if he could stay here at the palace, in the guest room."

"Certainly, I would not have any of your relatives staying anywhere else. Please have the staff prepare the room for him."

"Thank you, my Queen," Beatrix bowing and then giving Garnet the Alexandrian salute, "I must return to my duties." With that, the mighty Alexandrian General was off and Garnet was left alone.

She walked back over to her elegant wooden throne chair and sat down. The afternoon sun sent rays of light through the stained glass windows the surrounded the room, high on the wall. The queen sat there, in an ocean of vibrant color, lost in her thoughts. "Cousin…I did not know Beatrix had any relatives," she said softly to herself, looking at the empty doorway where her general left out of, "I hope Zidane does not get mad that this Nathan will be staying at the castle." She knew he would feel the same way as her on the situation. He would have agreed to let Nathan stay at the castle as well. She had made the right choice, she thought. Then why did she feel weird, as if she had a since of déjà vu. Just like when that mysterious man was around the castle before her big adventure, something did not feel right.

**Kuja: So Solark isn't here. The little baby ran away. He wants you to please review. REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!! So review! Go ahead and have fun, but do one thing for me as well. Let's make a petition to bring ME into this damn story! Go now my slaves!!!!!! Make your voices heard!!!!! Mwuahahahahahah!!!!**


	6. Ch 5: Old Places, New Faces

**Author's Note: I am sooooo sorry for the long delay in updating. Finals, work, Christmas, and getting drunk thru the holidays have really taken up most of my time. But alas, I have returned to bring you this next chapter in my epic quest. This chapter may be a little blah, but I needed to show how much the world of Gaia has changed since the end of the game. The next chapter is already outlined and I hope to finish it within a week. Trust me; it is going to be badass! Thank you to my readers and especially my reviewers (Happy Pappy, Phoenix Helix, J.L. Dexter, GLZidane, Fish1, FFreak, etc), you guys help keep me going. Please continue to read and REVIEW! Here is Eiko with your disclaimer.**

**Eiko's disclaimer:Solark does not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters. Square-Enix does. Solark only owns his own OC's.**

**Solark: Thank you Eiko.**

**Eiko: Your welcome, now where is my ice cream.**

**Solark:….uh?**

**Eiko: You promised me ice cream if I did the disclaimer thingy.**

**Solark: No I didn't.**

**Eiko:OMG, yes you did!**

**Solark: No….i really didn't. I am sorry.**

**Eiko: I WANT MY ICE CREEEEAAAAMMMM!!!!!!**

**Solark: OK….on with the fic.**

**Eiko: Are you ignoring me?**

**Solark:…**

**Eiko: Oh, you are so dead!**

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

**Old Places, New Faces**

_The nature of growth is evident in all things whether they are big or small; important or insignificant; intelligent or unintelligent. Growth is a function of time; it comes in all types of variables that span from the completely obvious to the perpetually invisible. Growth effects size such as the objects mass, the quantity that's present, and in some cases, what the object or something can do. Growth is everywhere in the world. The growing of plants from spring to fall, the creation of life from infant phase to adult are both examples of growth in nature. Mountains and oceans grow over time as well, thought they may take millions of years to develop. But what of the types of growth that slip between the shadows of simple perception. The mind is an extraordinary example of natural growth. As an infant, the mind is almost empty, using only the basic instincts that are genetically inserted to survive. But in this stage of life, the mind is like a sponge, absorbing everything it feels, hears, and sees. At the same time the mind is very fragile and can be easily tarnished with the most traumatic event. Everything the mind absorbs is used and the organism learns from these things; it grows. This growth is invisible to the naked eye, so it is usually ignored. Of all forms of growth in nature, the ability of the mind to grow and learn is the most powerful and important of all. This growth is what tells us and teaches us what to do and how to do it. The growth of the mind is the body's ultimate means of survival. _

On thing was for certain as Zidane and his group walked into the once quiet town of Daguerreo; the town sure had grown. The last time Zidane had been to Daguerreo, it was during his amazing quest to rid Gaia of his once sadistic brother Kuja's plot to destroy the crystal and end all life. During that adventure, the party had stumbled upon this small town while visiting Chocobo's Lagoon with Regent Cid's airship, the _Hilda Garde III._ The town was eerily quiet and peaceful, which is why they had never brought Eiko inside. Zidane had helped repair the water hydraulics that operated the lifts in the library and so forth. This had prompted the weapon's shop keeper to thank them with offering discounts on his goods. They had had a deal here with a creepy old man who wanted some magical finger tip in exchange for a legendary, powerful weapon; the _Excalibur_. All of the memories of how the place looked and felt flooded into Zidane and Steiner's mind. As they entered the town, those memories suddenly became very distant, finally disconnecting with the present and becoming part of the past. What stood before them was almost alien; very different from what they had once remembered.

Gone were the old, stone walkways and water-logged pathways. In their absence were new marble paths and small, yet apparently neat dwellings. The foyer area was abuzz with activity and commotion as people moved to and fro. Shopkeepers hollered out, trying to bolster their sales of items they had in stock. But even with this new upgrade in lifestyle, the native people had not abandoned their old traditions. Zidane was relieved to see that the ancient water fountain that held at mystical spirit of the aquamarine was still present. As was the old library, which amazingly still held a larger collection of books then both Alexandria and Lindblum put together. As the group stood in place staring at the activity before them, a man ran by the group carrying a large cotton sack over his shoulder. Zidane noticed the man and attempted to get his attention.

"Excuse me," the blonde directed, loud enough so that the man running by would know the voice was meant for him.

The man stopped and turned around to face the group. Noticing that the entire party was looking at him, he finally decided to come to over and see what they wanted. "Can I help you with something," he asked in a slightly exhausted voice as he shifted the weigh of the sack on his shoulder.

"Yeah,' Zidane thought for a second, "Where can we find a shop that sells airship parts? We need to pick up a bearing for a main drive shaft."

At the apparent though of somebody in need of assistance, the man's eyes seemed to light up and widen. He quickly removed the sack on his shoulder and placed it on the ground. "Ever been here before?" he peered into the group as his arms crossed in front of his surprisingly prudent chest. He was young but his eyes showed signs of knowledge beyond his years. He was well built with strong muscular arms and upper body, evident of constant hard work. His eyes were of a pure green that rivaled that of the deepest forests and blended perfectly with his amber red hair. He wore a simple off white shirt that was rolled up to the elbows and an old brown leather vest over it. He had strange earrings that dandled from both ears and a tattoo visible behind his partially unbuttoned shirt that was positioned on his chest. His pants were of a simple aquamarine blue and he had black boots. He also had a black belt that had a red orb as its buckle which seemed to pulsate into the viewers eyes.

"Yeah," the blonde thief confirmed, raising his arms to gesture to the surroundings in front of him, "but not since the apparent boom in economy has happened."

"Ah, I see," he paused to gather his thoughts. After a few seconds he looked back up and smiled. "The name is Bodan. I work at my father's business called the Alour Airship Shop. We are located on the next floor down." He turned around and spread his hand out to the surrounding commotion, "What you see here is just the main market area. You know things like weapons, armor, food, and medicine. The usual you would find in a small market. We tried to conserve most of the existing culture like the fountain and the library.

To do that we needed to dig and expand further down, extending the town vertically within the mountain. All of our high monetary work, like our airship parts manufacturing is done down there." He smiled and replaced the sack to his shoulder as the group stared out at the vast commotion.

"Come," he snapped the group out of their trance, "I shall take you to my father's shop. Maybe he will have the part you seek." He then started to walk into the beehive of activity, moving seamlessly throughout the crowd with surprising skill.

With the though of accomplishing their mission, Steiner quickly set himself into action. He took off into the crowd in pursuit of Bodan with the utmost haste. There was only one problem; he was not nearly as agile. The first group of people down the pathway saw the large metallically clad human barreling towards them and frightfully moved out of his way. Others were not so lucky. Steiner ran into an unsuspecting citizen, causing the person to drop all his belongings. Two more people were after were knocked to the ground, there eyes wide in shock as others questioned their state. The large armor wearing knight did not even pay the slightest attention to the ciaos he was causing.

Zidane saw the situation unfold with disbelief in his eyes. "STEINER…WAIT," he shouted but to no avail. The Alexandrian knight could not hear him and even if he did, his mind was set in stone. Zidane kicked the ground in frustration. _Damn him_, he thought, _next time we bring a leash_.

"Let's go after him before he hurts somebody," the blonde turned to his other two comrades. Blank and Gene both nodded and the group set off after their clumsy friend.

The man that had his belongings knocked out of his hands looked at the three as they ran. There was obvious anger shown on his face. "He is sorry," Zidane spat in the direction of the man as they went by. His attempt at reparations did no good. The man's scowl did not go away but it made the thief feel better knowing he tried to mediate the problem. The group went past the two that Steiner knocked down in his haste. They had not returned to their feet; probably afraid the other three would come running by, causing them to get knocked down again. Zidane looked in their direction and reached out to them in a sympathetic way. "He didn't mean it," he tried to convince them. "He really is a nice guy." He let the words do their work as the group continued to follow Steiner and Bodan down to the lower levels of the town. Within a minute of their departure, the mood within the main entrance and market area of Danguerreo returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.

As they made their way down the stairs, Zidane and his two friends were met with a site they had never anticipated to see. The under ground substructure of Daguerreo was not just part shops and factories but a whole entire city within the mountain.

"Wow, it's amazing," Gene gazed at the vast image before her. And she was right. The newly expanded underground factory was truly amazing. Dropping an eye straining nine stories into the mountain, the machine and airship part factories of Daguerreo spanned over three different tiers designed in a circular pattern with an open space in the center.

The bottom tier of course held the production buildings that actually melted and formed the metal for the parts. Smoke could be seen, clouding the occasional red glow from the hot furnaces. The area must be one hot place to work, although it looked like a well designed ventilation system removed the annoying exhaust gases, making the working environment a little easier and safer. The vent stacks rose up the middle of the vast opening and exited through the roof and out the top of the mountain. Various stair cases let from the bottom levels to the second tier where people could easily be seen moving around to and fro.

The second tier actually consisted of three different layers. The first layer housed the assembly line, there parts were removed from their forms and attached to other parts if need be. They then moved up to the second layer, or the refinement area. This is where the part was checked over using various stress tests to ensure that it could handle what the item was designed for, as well as the traditional visual inspection. From there the part would be sent up to the third layer, or the processing area. Here the item was packaged and either sent to the shop or sent to the airship dock to be shipped out to the respective buyers. But shipping orders took weeks to process, that's why Zidane was sent to pick up the part personally. Plus Baku hated dealing with the shipping system; he was too old fashioned.

The third and final tier of the underground factory was the commercial area. Within this tier lied the many shops and business offices where majority of the design and engineering took place. Small dwellings could be seen placed atop the many businesses around the tier, obviously the homes of the business owners. People scurried around, their duties and actions hidden from the eyes and minds of Zidane's group. A door opened on one of the buildings and a man came out carrying what looked to be a roll of plans. The place was abuzz with activity, people were everywhere. Daguerreo had certainly become a major powerhouse in technology, far exceeding anything anyone could have imagined.

Zidane sighed as he took in the commotion his eyes were absorbing. The place had sure changed, compared with the last time they found the hidden town back during their great adventure to save the crystal. He sort of missed the quiet place that was entirely dependent on water to keep the town active and accessible. His thoughts drifted again to that time, remembering when he had fixed the water hydraulics that powered the town's lifts. Who knew how long they had been out of order, but the people had been very grateful that he fixed them. He so wished that the town had stayed that quiet forever. _I guess nothing is forever_, he thought to himself.

"Hey," a voice snapped Zidane out of his thoughts. He looked to see Blank waving him over to a small building. "Gene saw the tin man go in here. Let's go, bro."

The blonde ran over to the building, noticing the hand made wooden sign that hung to the side of the doorway that welcomed him. Blank was right, there painted in green on the sign were the words, Alour Airship Shop. Hopefully they would have the part they needed, as Rusty would have a fit if the search took any longer.

The shop was small but large enough for the purpose that was needed. A counter greeted customers upon entering, as a small fire was burning in a fireplace on the right side wall. Behind the counter lied a couple rows of wooden shelves, all holding various boxes and what looked like parts. The place looked and felt like a simple ordinary shop; very ordinary.

Zidane saw Steiner looking at a picture on the wall, his right hand on his chin. Natural instinct took over for the blonde and his curiosity drew him to see what his comrade was viewing.

"Do my eyes deceive me," the knight whispered uncharacteristically, now aware of the presence of the young thief at his side. He turned to look at Zidane, an apparent calm now present in his usually alert eyes. Slowly, he turned back to the picture to find his words. "This ship looks exactly like the _Red Rose_ we retired not six months ago."

Zidane looked at the picture and cocked his head to the side. He placed a hand on his chin, unblinking as he stared. Finally it dawned on him, "Yea…yea it does."

"That's because it is the _Red Rose_," a voice came from behind them. Both turned to see the muscular form of Bodan leaning on the far side of the front counter, who smiled in return. "One of the most beautiful, elegant airships ever built. The pride of the Alexandrian military for over 50 years, she was build to last and she did. They don't make airships like that anymore, eh?"

"That they do not," agreed Steiner as he turned to look at the picture again. "She was a great ship, was heartbreaking to watch her be retired and dismantled." He continued to look at the picture, as if lost in though. Suddenly he turned around; a small fire could be seen in his eye. "How do you know about the _Red Rose_? Are you a spy against Alexandrian? Because if you are, I will not hesitate to arrest you! AHHHH……ANSWER ME YOU RUFFAN!!!" Zidane rested his head on his hand as Steiner threw his temper. The knight still had not changed; he never let his guard down. Luckily, Bodan was quickly thinking and smoothed the situation over.

"Hey, calm down now," the large red head cooled as he held his hands in front of him, making a pushing motion away from his body. "I have worked in my father's shop here, making and selling airship parts since I was a young lad, about 11 years old. I have seen every kind of airship imaginable, from all parts of the world. I have acquired a passion for these marvelous products of our own design and started to collect pictures and paintings of various airships whenever I could find one. I bough this picture of the _Red Rose_ at an auction, about two months back. Let's just say I know beauty when I see it, eh."

"Very well," the Alexandrian knight looked convinced by Bodan's words. The heavy knight sighed and looked into the green eyes of the shop keeper's son, "So seem like a man of knowledge and honesty, you have my trust."

"Thank you," Bodan responded with a nod.

"Great," Zidane intruded between the two larger men. "Now that you guys have come to an understanding and Rusty here has aggravated the whole city, let's get down to business." The blonde thief removed a piece of parchment from his pocket that enclosed the part details. He handed the parchment to Bodan, ignoring the obvious anger that was emitting from the Admiral due to the thief's last comment. "We came here to get that part."

Bodan took the parchment and looked at the writing, his eyes darting from one side of the piece to the other. "Ah, main shaft bearing for a theater ship, eh" he said without lifting his head up from the parchment in his hands.

"Wow," Blank blurted out from the corner his was leaning in, "he's pretty good."

Zidane stared at the large red head completely stunned, "How did you know that?"

"It's my job," he informed as if they had forgot about his profession. He held the parchment up and pointed at it, "Plus this bearing is for a vertical shaft, not a horizontal. Only theater ships were designed with vertical shafts."

"Remarkable," Steiner acknowledged as he crossed his arms in front of him. The young man sure knew what he was talking about, at least about things pertaining to his duty.

"So do you have any in stock," the blonde asked, his eyes locked into Bodan as he looked at the parchment.

"Coarse we do," he perked as he looked away from the parchment and when into the back. "What sort of airship parts shop would we be if we didn't have parts people needed," Bodan hollered from where he was. When he emerged, he was carrying a large circular piece of metal that was almost like a thin tube. The piece was about six inches tall, a half inch thick, roughly one foot in diameter, and was brilliantly polished to a perfectly smooth and reflective finish.

The heavy man placed the bearing on the counter with remarkable ease, being careful not to damage the pristine surface. He looked up at Zidane and smiled, "Wouldn't be good for business, eh."

"That's the part we need," the blonde looked questionably, tilting his head as he looked at the metal part.

"Yup," replied Bodan, patting the bearing with his thick fingered hand. "This is the part ya need. Pretty heavy too."

"Ah, I see."

"So," Bodan looked deep into the young thief's eyes, "Do you have payment?"

"How much is it," Zidane asked, almost forgetting that part of the dealing process.

"This part is three thousand gil."

Zidane reached for the pouch on his side and removed it from his belt. He took out the requested amount and placed the money in Bodan's large, outstretched hand. The heavy man took the gil and placed it into a chest under the counter, not even counting the amount. He sighed and turned back to face the group, "Why don't I carry the bearing out to your airship for you."

"Sure, that'd be great," the blonde accepted Bodan's offer. "We're parked out front, near the waterfall."

"Very kind of you," inputted Steiner, as he took one last look at the picture of the _Red Rose_ on the wall.

Bodan nodded and picked up the bearing, looping the part through his arm and resting the load on his large, muscular shoulders. "Let's go then, eh" he said as he walked out the door, showing no signs of strain from carrying the heavy weight.

Zidane shrugged as he took a look at his friend, Blank, who was staring in awe at the doorway. He then proceeded to follow Bodan out the door, with his three comrade's right behind him. _This was easier then I though_, he said into his own mind as they made there way back through the crowds and towards the front entrance.

As they reached the main foyer area, Zidane ran ahead of Bodan and opened the elegantly carved door. Bright rays of illuminating warmth quickly covered the party, clouding their field of vision. Bodan nodded as he walked by, acknowledging the blonde's kind act. Zidane smiled his usual grin in return and watched as the rest of his comrades left the now busy city of Daguerreo. The blonde thief took one last look at the thriving people in front of him before he made his exit. His admiration did not last long.

"ZIDANE!!!" came a voice from outside. His instincts knew this was not a cry of annoyance due to his delay. He could tell from the voice that something was terribly wrong. He quickly ran outside to his friend's aid, his mind alert and prepared for anything.

"What is it?" he asked as he met up with the group, who were standing on the bridge that spanned the clear water of the lake in front of the main entrance.

"L-look," pointed Gene with a trembling hand, unable to hide her nervousness. Zidane followed her finger to identify the problem. She was looking at the airship they came in, _The Judgment_.

Zidane squinted through the sun glare to see what the problem was. His eyes finally focused thru the airships glass windshield when he saw movement. The cockpit was not empty.

Sitting in the driver's seat of _The Judgment_ was a hooded figure. The person had their hand on the throttle and the other hand was moving around. Zidane watched thru his bright turquoise eyes as the figure continued to touch various controls within the cockpit. The blonde thief gritted his teeth as tried to think of what to do next. His actions came to him once he heard _The Judgment's_ steam engine start up.

With blinding speed, Zidane ran towards the airship.

"Zidane," hollered the Admiral of Alexandria," Stop at once!" But the thief's mind was already made up. He did not care about the airship. Oh, that was the least of his concern. He wanted to know who this mysterious person was and why they waited till they came out of the city to steal the airship.

As Zidane approached _The Judgment_, the hooded figure pulled back on the throttle and the airship stared to rise into the sky. As soon as Zidane saw this, he reached deep down into his strength, something he did naturally. Soon he became one with his movements, and at the last second, he jumped into the air and grabbed onto one of the wings of the airship.

"That fool!" boomed Steiner, as he watched _The Judgment_ fly off, with the blonde hanging on for dear life, "How will I explain to the Queen if something should happen to him."

"That's Zidane for ya," smiled Blank as he shook his head.

"W-what do we do now?" questioned Gene, in her usually weak voice. She was obviously overwhelmed with concern for her friend. Both Steiner and Blank looked at her and shrugged.

"I think I can help," inserted Bodan, as he placed the bearing back on his shoulder. "I have an airship docked on the other side of the mountain. If we hurry we can catch up to your friend."

"That would be most commendable of you," Steiner praised, "We should make haste. That monkey boy has caused me enough grief for one day."

"Alright, follow me," the large red head said as he headed back into Daguerreo with the rest of the group right behind him.

* * *

**Eiko: So, where did Solark go?**

_(Sees ice cream sitting on table)_

**Eiko: Ah ha. I knew he would give in.**

_(Eats some…)_

**Eiko: **_(gagging)_** Ugh, so gross! This is not ice cream…it friggin cream cheese! Grrrrr! This means war!**

**Solark: **_(Watching around a corner) _**Please Read and Review!!! Action comes next chapter.**


	7. Ch 6: Perfect Strangers

**Author's Note: I am so sorry about the major delay in my story. Class, work, and life have taken me away from writing but I have managed to find the time to get you this newest chapter. Hopefully with school ending I can update more regularly as before. Now without further a due, here is the latest chappy in this epic tale. Here with your disclaimer is Steiner.**

**Steiner's Disclaimer: Solark does not own any original characters, plots, or places from FFIX. Square-Enix owns them. He only owns his own creations. If he does try to claim us original characters, I will no hesitate to remove his head.**

**Solark: Ok Steiner, I think your going a little over the top there.**

**Steiner: (Jumps up and down) I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS YOU INGRATE!**

**Solark: Ok I'll just remove you from my story…or maybe even kill you off!**

**Steiner: Maybe I can pension for a life's sentence on you behalf.**

**Solark: That's all I ask. On with the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 6:**

**Perfect Strangers**

The airship, nicknamed _The Judgment_, banked hard to the right as the pilot guided the craft through the narrow canyons of the Forgotten Continent. Whoever was flying the airship definitely did not want to be seen because they were keeping their altitude low and their air-speed high.

Zidane reestablished his grip and footing, trying his best to recover from that last acrobatic stunt. He lifted his right leg up onto the surface of the wing, using the newfound leverage to pull the rest of his body up. Using his tail to balance himself, the blonde thief slowly rose to his feet. Keeping a low center of gravity, Zidane crept towards the hull of the airship, his sight set on the one door that led inside. Unconsciously, he unsheathed one of his regular daggers, as he always did whenever a threat was present.

Suddenly, the airship took a sharp roll to the right again. Zidane stumbled and was thrown head over heels into the hull. A sharp pain shot up his spine as his back slammed into the airship's frame, causing him to lose all concentration on keeping his balance. As the airship continued to roll to the right, it was now banked at ninety degrees to the normal axis. Zidane watched as his feet rolled up in front of him, dropping off into empty spaces. He quickly grabbed onto a small mythril spike that was protruding out of the top of _The Judgment's_, not wanting to take the plunge to the ground below at this height, least not again.

Within the cockpit, the hooded figure heard the thump against the hull as he banked on his turn. He turned to his right and pulled on two levers. Once finished he moved to a larger lever next to the first two and started pulling back and forth. The steam engine started to run faster and louder as more fuel was added. The hooded figure leaned back into the pilot's seat and put his hand on the throttle, intent on removing the small parasite that clung to the airship.

Outside, Zidane continued to cling to the mythril spike for dear life. The muscles in his arm were starting to strain and burn, showing definite signs of fatigue. His grip on the spike was clammy, causing him to squeeze harder just to maintain his position. He winced in slight pain. The blonde brought his dagger up and placed the weapon in his mouth, biting down on the blunt back side. With his other hand now free, he reached up and grabbed the spike, relieving a great deal of the strain on his now exhausted arm.

As soon as Zidane acquired a secure grip, the airship straightened out and lunged forward, sending his body twisting towards the back of the craft. Whoever that hooded figure was, they knew he was on the outside and were trying their best to dispose of him. The blonde held on tight as the airship's velocity increased again, the muscles in his arm straining against the force of the acceleration.

Suddenly, Zidane felt a tiny disturbance brush at the hairs on the end of his tail. The force was extremely small, but the enhanced nerves in the blonde's tail quickly registered the feeling and at the speed of light, brought the message to his brain. Zidane, still hanging on with both hands to the mythril spike as his body tangled towards the back of the airship, looked back to see his tail a mere two inches from the swirling chaos of the rear propeller blades. His instincts kicked in and he quickly moved his tail away, wrapping the extremity around his left thigh. With his tail now safe from amputation, the blonde returned his attention back to his predicament at hand.

Using all the strength he could muster, Zidane pulled his body away from the rear of the airship, keeping his head tilted away from the onslaught of wind. The airship jolted in the air, causing the blonde to lose his momentum momentarily but he did not lose his grip. Again Zidane reached deep into his strength, using his power to pull himself against the forces against him. His teeth clenched, holding the dagger in a vise grip as he continued to strain his muscles with the effort. Finally he was able to pull himself up to the spike and relieve his exhausted arms. He took a few seconds to gain more strength but no more.

Quickly he wrapped his right arm around the spike, attempting to secure himself a more comfortable base for which to hold to. Once satisfied with his position, the blonde thief turned his head to the left, his keen turquoise eyes searching the airship's hull carefully. His search stopped as his eyes located and focused in on a small brass object not four feet away from him; the handle for the door that led into the airship's main cabin. Keeping his tight hold on the mythril spike with his right arm, Zidane slowly reached down towards the brass handle. The blonde's teeth squeezed down in the metal of the dagger's blade, his fingers spread out as they barely brushed against their destination but they went no further. The handle was just out of his reach. The realization came to him that he would have to release his secure hold on the mythril spike in order to reach the brass handle of the door. He knew that if he removed his grip on the spike, the force of the airships forward movement would send if flying towards the back. The transfer from the spike to the handle would have to be quick and errorless. One small mistake could prove fatal, especially with the whirling death behind him.

Without thinking twice, Zidane released his grip on the mythril lifeline and lunged at the handle. A fraction of a second later, the fingers on his left hand contacted the brass metal of the door handle. Instinct kicked in again and he quickly grabbed a hold, squeezing his fingers around the handle, his knuckles turning white under the exertion of strength that he was using. Once he felt he had a secure enough grasp, the blonde thief brought his legs down, placing them firmly on the top surface of the wing.

Keeping his stance low, Zidane removed the dagger from his clenched teeth with his free hand, preparing himself for what lay inside. Gripping the weapon in his hand, the thief pulled hard on the brass handle in his attempt to get in. The door opened but did not get more then two inches before closing again. Zidane tried again but the result was the same. He would never get the door open while the airship was near full speed. The force of the wind was too overpowering. He punched the door in frustration at this thought. His anger clouded his judgment, oblivious to the critical mistake he just made.

Instantly, the airship rolled to the left and banked on its turn. Luckily, the blonde thief's instincts were fast as he quickly grabbed onto the door handle as the support dropped from under him, revealing solid earth a couple hundred feet below his dangling legs. _Could have been worse_, he thought as he looked down. As if responding to his thought, his body was slammed into the side of the airship as the hooded pilot banked the other way. _I take that back_, he thought again as he shook off the impact, his whole body groaning in pain as he continued to hold onto the handle with his left hand. He needed to think of something to get out of this situation, and fast. He did not know how long his arm could hold him before exhaustion took over.

Looking around him, an idea suddenly came to the blonde thief. Without thinking twice about his plan of action, Zidane swung his dagger in an arc to his right side, directly over the top of the airship. The razor sharp weapon cut cleanly through an inch thick rope, causing the target to snap backwards with the potential force of its tension finally released. As the rope flew backwards, the line crossed paths and was caught by the whirling rear propeller blade. Upon being grabbed by the propeller, the rope instantly became twisted around the main center drive shaft of the spinning blade. A small whine was heard from within the airship, clearly the sound of the engine straining to turn the now stuck propeller shaft. The whine grew louder as the stress on the joints of the main shaft increased. Which would fail first? Would the engine over heat, or would the shaft break? What about the rope wrapped around the propeller, would it hold?

The answer came as a series of low level concussions shook the airship, threatening to break his grasp on the handle. Immediately following the sounds, the airship started to slow down. The deceleration was not extreme; in fact it was almost microscopic. But with Zidane's heightened senses, there was no mistaking. The engine had overheated, probably causing the seals to break, and even melting the inner piston to the cylinder wall. The blonde could not help it as a small smile came to his wind burnt face. There would be no restarting the airships sole means of propulsion, dooming _The Judgment _to the eternal hold of gravity.

But Zidane's smile soon faded.

He was trapped; clinging to an airship that was falling out of the sky.

Planting his feet back on the wing, Zidane needed to come up with a plan and quick. Without the engine accelerating the airship, he found standing up against the wind easier. But without the engine, the airship would not stay aloft for long. It was a lose-lose situation. Shaking his head and clearing his mind, the blonde thief focused on the task at hand. He had to get into the cabin and get into the pilots seat. If he could do that, he just might be able to safely glide _The Judgment _back to the ground. But there was one problem with that plan.

The pilot's seat was not empty.

His teeth clenched together with anger at the thought of the stranger that was inside the cabin. Who was he? What did he want with their airship? Why did he wait until they came out to takeoff? Was that just a coincidence, or did the hooded stranger want Zidane to chase him? These and many more questions flooded the young thief's mind. He wanted to find out. He needed to find out.

With his new found determination, Zidane pulled on the brass handle and opened the door to inside the cabin. Straining to keep the door open against the force of the wind, the blonde pushed his right side into the cabin, dagger at the ready. As he continued to worm his way into the airship, Zidane suddenly had the feeling that he was being watched. Pausing in his struggle, the blonde quickly turned his head to the left. Movement outlined a dark silhouette in the shadows of the airship's cabin.

The dark figure paused, not five feet from the thief.

Zidane kept his eyes locked on the hooded figure. He could not see the stranger's eyes, but somehow he knew they were looking back at him. He could no longer control himself, his anger, his need to know.

"Who are you?!" Zidane yelled over the sound of the wind, "What do you want?!"

The hooded stranger seemed to make no attempt to answer him, but continued to stare at him from behind the hood and shadows. Slowly, the figure took a couple of steps towards the blonde. Zidane's instincts told him to back up and out the door, but his curiosity held him in place. He looked again into the dark strangers eyes. He could see them now, a hard radiating purple hue. Zidane had never seen eyes like those. Were they even of this world?

Suddenly the hooded figure started to laugh. Not harshly, but a soft, somewhat demonic laugh. The laugh reminded Zidane of Garland, his creator. Anger boiled up within the young thief at the thought of this. What this stranger somehow in connection with Terra and its master plan? Zidane cut his eyes hard into the stranger. In some way, the person could since his emotion.

They stopped laughing.

"The time has come," the hooded figure glared at the thief, "Her kingdom will fall again." His words rang out inside the cabin as his laughter continued.

Zidane finally pulled the rest of his body into the airship. The door slammed closed behind him. Without thinking, he looked back into the eyes of the stranger, flipped the dagger in his hand, and assumed his attack stance.

The hooded figure made no reaction. Instead he simply smiled at the blonde, a devious grin that sent a chill down Zidane's spine. Then with a burst of purple smoke, he was gone.

_Teleported…_

The young blonde clenched the dagger in anger, his knuckles turning white. A jolt that almost knocked him off his feet snapped him back to the situation at hand.

The airship…

Quickly, Zidane ran into the pilot's seat and checked the gauges. All the engine monitoring meters read zero. Of coarse they would. He killed the engine himself. Shaking his head, he grabbed the flight stick and concentrated on one thing: landing the airship. He needed to find a nice flat piece of land and fast; _The Judgment _was light but would only glide for so long without any sort of propulsion. Looking around at his horizon, he found what he was looking for. About a quarter mile ahead, there was a flat plateau, roughly three hundred feet long with cliffs on all sides. The landing would need to be perfect, using the entire available surface to stop. He knew it would be close but he had no choice, he needed to land the airship now. Time was running out.

Without thinking twice, Zidane dove nose first towards the beginning of the plateau. As the ground approached faster, the blonde pulled hard on the red lever, the same one that Blank pulled earlier. Instantly, the airship slowed and with astounding skill, Zidane pulled back on the flight stick, leveling the plane out. He looked out the window. He was a mere five feet off the ground.

Slowly he lowered the plane to the ground, the wheels grinding as they hit the hard bedrock of the ground below. With the danger of falling out of the sky now gone, Zidane now focused on a new problem. One that he knew was coming. He now had to stop the airship before the vehicle tumbled over the cliff. Quickly he slammed on the wheel brake petal that was on the floor. The three solid rubber wheels of _The Judgment_ locked up, digging into dirt and stone. All he could do now was wait. Wait and hope that the craft stopped before it took the deadly plunge.

What else could he do? Jump out? He had the ability and skill do bail out at this speed, but he just could not make himself. He needed to save the airship. He just had to.

Gripping the speed brake harder, his other hand on the hilt of his dagger from instinct, the blonde closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. The speed brake vibrated in his hand as the airship continued to scream across the plateau. The hilt of his dagger felt clammy in his hand. Was he nervous or was he really enjoying the flight of danger?

Suddenly he felt The_ Judgment_ moan. Seemingly straight from the airship's very soul. As the sound would have scared any other person, it did not scare Zidane. He knew that sound. The weight of the airship had finally shifted, placing less pressure on the front of the craft. That meant only one thing. _The Judgment_ had slowed down considerably. A smile was brought to his face, his eyes still closed.

With a sudden, yet stubble thrust forward, the airship stopped dead. The blonde within the cabin let out a relieved sigh and opened his bright turquoise eyes. He gazed out at the view through the windshield, admiring the red setting sun. The vast canyon floor looked up at him from hundreds of feet down. Getting up, he instinctively pulled one of his daggers out of the sheath on his belt. He did not know what danger might be lurking around, but he would be ready. Carefully he opened the door to outside. The hiss of air was heard as air escaped out of seals. Zidane stepped out of the downed airship, wind blowing his blonde hair in his face. His feet contacted the hard bedrock and he made his way to the front of the craft. He did not get far before he lost his footing on a patch of lose rock. Regaining his balance, the blonde looked at what almost caused his fall. He was standing at the very edge of the cliff.

Looking over at _The Judgment_, he took one glance at the front wheel. There was only five feet between that wheel and the cliff. _Boy was that close_, he thought shaking his head. Even though he narrowly escaped a deadly fall, he again could not help but smile. He loved these sorts of things, they made him feel alive.

His thoughts were interrupted by a faint humming near the threshold of his hearing. Zidane looked over to where the noise was coming from but could not make out anything. Soon the humming turned into a steady tone, that of an engine and propeller combination. As he continued to look, a small black dot appeared on the horizon. The dot grew larger as the object moved closer, revealing to him the full detail of the flying craft.

His rescue had arrived, late as usual.

He sheathed his dagger, leaned against the hull of _The Judgment_ and waited for them to land.

* * *

The room was dark, almost as dark as night but flowing with the powers of incredible black magic. A single ray of sun pierced through a small circle shaped window in the center wall. The ceilings were high and vaulted, just like that of a temple. Intricate stone statues of various creatures and people surrounded the walls adorned with ominous, yet stunning paintings of battles scenes and people of obvious power. Large columns lined the open space, placed ten feet from the wall. Within the center lay a beautiful chair, screaming power from its sheer size and luxury.

A dark hooded figure in the chair moved a pale white hand to the arm rest, picking up a gem adorned gold goblet, filled with the finest wine. They brought the drink up to their mouth, almost draining the goblet half way in one gulp. The figure closed their eyes, relishing the flavor and the bite of the alcohol. Bringing the drink back to their lips, the figure downed the rest of the wine and placed the empty goblet back on the rest.

"Back so soon?" the shadowed figure stated; their voice deep and vibrating. "I suspect your mission was a success."

"Indeed it was," came a voice from the center of the open floor. Standing there, in front of the dark hooded figure in the chair, was another cloaked stranger, their face hidden by a similar hood. They stood a good six feet tall, and even though their body was hidden by the black robe, the cloak could not hide their muscular frame.

"Good," dragged the figure in the chair. "I presume you gave the boy the message as well?"

"Yes, my lord," answered the stranger on the floor. His head remained facing the floor, as if a sign of respect.

"Very good," acknowledged the dark hooded lord. "You have done well. All else will fall into play. We must not diverge from the plan."

"I understand."

"Good. Hopefully our little message has put the boy on edge, making him look over his shoulder constantly," the figure in the chair stated, a menacing smile coming to his lips. "You may go," he told the other dark hooded stranger, flicking his hand in a gesture to leave.

"Yes, my lord," the standing figure responded, bowing towards the sitting lord. As he straightened back up, there was a sudden burst of purple smoke and he was gone. The lone figure in the adorned chair remained; an ominous laugh coming from within the shadows of his hood.

* * *

**OK, please review my chappy if you read it. I really want to know how I did on this action sequence. It took me weeks to write it and I hope it is good enough. PLEASE REVIEW! Your input will help me in future chappy's in this tale. Thank yous!!!!!**


	8. Ch 7: The Mysterious Link

**Author's Note:**** Yes, I am BACK! This chapter took me forever to write. I had written it once, but did not like the way it came out and had to redo it. All is well now and I hope I can get the next chapters out quicker. Again please review as those help me to update more and more often.**

**P.S.:**** I will be running a contest this chapter and next for two character spots in this story. All reviewers are eligible to enter as long as you REVIEW. The draw will be random so good luck. Now here is Puck with the disclaimer.**

**Puck's Disclaimer:**** Solark doesn't own any of the characters from FFIX, Square Enix owns them. He does own his original creations, which thankfully does not include me.**

* * *

**Chapter 7:**

The Mysterious Link 

"Why you…I…off all the," stuttered Steiner as he waved his finger at the blonde boy in front of him. The armored Alexandrian admiral's face was a deep red, matched only by the redness of the sky behind him from the setting sun.

"Come on Rusty," Zidane said, a small chuckle hidden behind his words as he spoke. "Spit it out already."

The anger inside of the hefty knight seemed to reach a boiling point as he threw is arms into the air. "What were you thinking," he slurred out, finally finding his words. Randomly he shook his finger in front of his face as he shook his head. "Wait…no. Were you EVEN thinking?" he questioned with a glare at the young thief standing before him.

Zidane just shrugged and shook his head in response to the elder man's question. He knew that his lack of a verbal excuse would only enrage Steiner more so then he already was, so he searched his brain quickly for words to say that would be expectable. None came. He placed his right hand on his chin while resting his right elbow in his left hand. "I guess it was just instinct," the blonde finally said.

"Instinct….INSTINCT," Steiner bellowed as waved his hands in the air, "You could have been killed! Now how would I explain that to the Queen?" The large knight bore his eyes into the young thief in front of him, showing no more emotion then was needed.

"Aww Rusty," Zidane embellished as he place his arm around Steiner's shoulder, "I know you were just worried about me. I appreciate it." The blonde gave the admiral a friendly shake and turned towards the airship that Steiner came out of. The knight's face reddened but he kept his comments to himself. The effort was no use.

"Z-Zidane," cried a tiny voice from inside the airship. The blonde looked at to the doorway to see Gene staring at him. He gave here a half smile and shrugged. Quickly she jumped down from the cabin door, with surprising agility for a black mage, and ran to him.

Unprepared for Gene's emotional state, Zidane was almost knocked down as the tiny mage barged into him. Luckily his quick reflexes saved himself from the embarrassment and he only wavered a little on his feet. As Gene hugged him, he could feel her trembling as she breathed. _She was worried about me_, he thought suddenly feeling bad about his actions. The last thing he wanted to do was worry the little mage.

"Hey Gene," exclaimed the blonde as he patted her shoulder. "Did you do a good job of babysitting ole' Rusty here?" he asked her, trying to lighten her dreary mood. Although he could not see her face, save for her bright yellow eyes; he knew that she was smiling.

"Jeez man, you're insane," exclaimed a familiar voice from within the airships doorway. Blank stood there, his head shaking as he looked at his fellow comrade. "You could have gotten yourself killed," he said as he walked towards Zidane before stopping and thinking. "Would have made a great story down at the Tavern though," he laughed proceeding to mock a make shift story with his hands, "Zidane Tribal, wanna-be thief, died a tragic death aboard the wing of one of the Alexandrian fleets airships with an unknown pilot. The poor soul left behind only a silver dagger for his girl-friend-who-is-a-queen-but-not-his-real-girl-friend because he did not have the emotional capacity to even officially ask her out. How horrible," he finished, faking a cry into the palm of his hands.

The blonde shook his head as he walked passed his friend, his tail motionless behind him. He stopped beside Blank and placed a hand on his shoulder. He moved his head enough so that he was within a few inches of the redheaded, headband wearing thief's ear. "You should be the one to talk, bro" Zidane whispered with a grin, as he patted his friend's shoulder and continued walking towards the airship that his comrades had followed him in.

As the blonde got to the airship, he turned within the doorway to face his friends. All of them were staring at him but none seemed to show the potential of moving or speaking, save for Steiner who was still biting his tongue. "Well what are you all waiting for? Let's go!" he exclaimed, as he waved them into the airship. "I'm driving," he added with a smile.

"Not my ship your not," came a hard voice from within the airship's interior. Zidane turned around to see the towering form of Bodan standing before him. The large man stared at him sharply; his green eyes the only relief of the tension. He cracked a half smile as he patted the blonde on the shoulder. "That was a crazy stunt you pulled back there," he acknowledged with slight astonishment, "You always that nuts?"

"Haha," Zidane laughed, "only half the time.

"Well that's a relief," replied the red head, "least you aren't completely nuts."

The blonde could only crack a smile and nod at this comment. The big man was right after all. What he did was reckless and completely dangerous. He could have easily been seriously hurt or even killed. And to top it off he did not even know who the stranger was or what their capabilities were. He should never have attempted the fool-hearted actions that he did but his instincts took over and there was no reversing or overriding of that. Above everything, even his own health and safety, he needed to know who that person was. He had a strange feeling that they were a danger to the people he cared most about. That alone was justification enough for the actions he previously performed.

"'Nuts' doesn't begin to describe this guy," laughed Blank, simultaneously snapping Zidane out of his train of thought. The red haired bandit stood beside his friend, placing an arm around his shoulder. "This lunatic here jumped off of Alexandria Castle with only a decoration wire as a life line, not once but twice. And both of the times were for the same…UGH!" A sharp elbow abruptly cut him off as he clenched his mid-section.

"Anyway," stated Bodan, try to change the subject to something more important on his mind, "Did you at least find out who commandeered your airship?" The big man looked at him with curious eyes, though his voice was flowing with hidden authority.

"Nah, I didn't," Zidane relied as he looked upon Bodan with a newfound respect. He had only known the red head for a couple of hours within Daguerreo, but what he did see impressed him. The man was very outgoing and seemed to have a heart that matched his shear physical size. He had a sense of humor, while at the same time becoming serious when needed, unlike some people.

"Well do you at least have an idea who they might?" Bodan questioned, his voice showing the obvious concern he had over the situation.

"I really have no idea," the blonde thief shrugged, his answer getting only a sigh as a response from the big man. Zidane could not keep the rest of his encounter a secret. His comrades deserved to know what he saw, even Steiner. "The only thing I can tell you is that his eyes were unlike anything I have ever seen before," he began as he walked toward the edge of the cliff. He gazed over the vast spectacle before, feeling the piercing eyes of his friends wanting burning into his back. "They were this deep purple. Human, yet not of this world," he paused as he thought of the next part, "and his voice. It reminded me of….him." The blonde thief closed his eyes as the distant memories poured into his head. Quickly he pushed them aside, not wanting to be remembered of his true past.

"Who is this 'him'?" asked Steiner in his usual loud voice.

Zidane took a deep breath, allowing the fresh, dry air of the Forgotten Continent ease his nerves. He opened his eyes and fought back his anger as he uttered the name, "Garland."

"WHAT?" screamed the Alexandrian Knight, so loud that the little black mage near him almost lost her pointy hat. "That cannot be possible? He was killed back on Terra."

"Jeez Rusty, you have the attention span of a cat sometimes," said Zidane sarcastically. "I never said it WAS Garland. I just said it REMINDED me of Garland."

"But still," growled Steiner, obviously trying to hold back a retort to the young thief's remark. "Why would this stranger even remind you of that despicable ingrate?"

"I don't know," the blonde said as he shook his head, "Just for some reason when he spoke, memories of my creation and Garland flash through me for an instant."

"Well, the connection was probably nothing," counseled the knight, "The stranger was probably nothing more then a lowly peasant, trying to steal the airship so he could sell the parts for money. Such unrespectable behavior should not be tolerated. If I ever get my hands on them, the last thing they will see is the cold, sharp steel of my _Ragnarok _before the blade strikes them down." The large knight finished his statement by unsheathing his blade, the sun reflecting of its perfect edges.

"Maybe you're right, Rusty," Zidane finally stated as a gust of wind blew through his blonde air. "But how can we really be sure?"

Steiner grunted with disagreement as he sheathed _Ragnarok_ back at his side. He did not agree with what Zidane thought, but at the same time, he did not believe in just mere coincidence. Still, he had to trust the thief's instincts. They had a knack for being right during situations like this.

"So, what will you guys do now?" Bodan asked, bring everybody back on the same page. "Your ship here doesn't exactly look like it is mechanically capable of flying." Everybody looked back at _The Judgment_, which had a faint trail of smoke rising into the air from within the interior of the airship.

"Yea, I cut a control line on top of the ship," Zidane answered, feeling the hot angry glare of Steiner burn into him. "It was the only thing I could think of to stop the ship. The line wrapped itself around the propeller shaft, probably causing the engine to seize."

"Well, the important thing is that you are fine," Bodan stated as he looked at the broken down airship. "Property can always be replaced. Lives cannot." These words seemed to have an affect on Steiner, as the Alexandrian knight's dark mood appeared to lighten up.

"Yeah," said the blonde, apparently talking to himself, "Your right, Bodan. The ship is replaceable, isn't that right, Rusty?"

"Of coarse it is," sighed Steiner, as he shook his head, "But the Queen will still be angry once she finds out about the events leading to the airships demise."

"…" Zidane stood there speechless after the admiral's statement. Steiner had a very good point. Dagger was going to be livid when she hears about his little stunt. Ever since he went back into the violently reacting Iifa Tree and then took months to come back to her, she had made him promise to never attempt stupid stunts like that again. He promised her, although the sworn oath went against his true nature.

"Speaking of the Queen," piped in Blank, looking comfortable leaning against Bodan's airship's doorway, "After what just happened with the stranger stealing the ship, don't you think you should get back to her?"

The red headed thief's words seemed to have and instant effect on the Alexandrian knight. "Yes!!!" exclaimed Steiner, "We must return to the Queen. If this stranger came looking for us for some reason, what is to say that they won't intrude Alexandria itself!" The admiral seemed frantic, his breathing increasing with the though of the Queen in danger.

"You're right, Rusty," acknowledged Zidane, his eyes starting to show a faint sign of worry although he would not admit the fact. "But how the hell are we going to get there?"

"I do not know. Perhaps we can find an airship that is traveling to Alexandrian back at Dag-!!!" His voice was cut off as the ground shook violently underneath the group's feet. Loose stones and pebbles rattled across the plateau, some tumbling off of the edge of the cliff where a small fissure in the ground began to spread. The crack quickly expanded, lifting one side of the ground higher and higher. As the ground continued to shake, the new break that had started near the edge of the cliff quickly spread towards the group.

"MOVE!" screamed Zidane, his voice barely readable over the thunderous roar of the earthquake. His friends seemed to have heard him, or realized the danger themselves, as they all ran away from the now unstable ground. The crack quickly spread in front of them, meeting with another fissure straight in their path. The group ran as the ground they were on started to lose elevation, falling into the gapping mouth of the canyon. Steiner, Gene, and Bodan all reached the other side of the crack safely with Zidane right behind them.

Blank was a little too slow.

As he ran towards the ever-growing opening in the ground, he realized his problem. He was not going to make it. Not ready to give up hope, the red headed thief made a flying leap across the gapping crack. Blank stretched out his arms as he broke through the air, searching for the safety of the canyon ground. He closed his eyes as the wall of the canyon approached him, not wanting to see the outcome. One second later, his hands contacted the hard surface. A sharp pain exploded throughout his body as his face and chest hit the wall; the razor-hard rock cutting into his skin as he scrapped against it. Warm blood trickled down his face and filled his mouth. His legs dandled helplessly, searching for safety that was not there.

But he did not fall.

Blank opened his eyes and was shocked at where he was. He was handing in midair, looking down the thousand-foot canyon. Prying his eyes from the view in front of him, he strained to look up but he pain in his neck provided too much. As the pain overwhelmed him, he thought he saw two bright turquoise eyes looking down on him before darkness overtook him.

* * *

Mikoto sat in her chair, rubbing her temples with her fingers. The event had taken a lot of energy out of her, but she was not shocked. She knew the connection existed between them, although was never told why it existed. Now frustrated but relieved that the pressure in her head was gone, she got up from the chair and walked over to the only window in her small hut. She wore only a light pink nightgown, which draped down to her knees. She was the only genome that actually took off her usual clothes. The village was quiet, unlike the usual busy working atmosphere during the day with mages and genomes walking here and there. The night was old but she had not slept a wink. The connection to her brother had lasted quite a while, and now her nerves were keeping her up. Her blonde bangs blew across her face, as a small night breeze came through the window. She was a small genome, frail yet strikingly similar to her brother in many ways. They had the same hairstyle and color, and they are created in the same miraculous, yet hideous way. They were equals in a way, her and Zidane, yet different in so many ways.

Staking her head as she thought, Mikoto was about to make her way back to her straw bed when she was a figure in the distance. The large pointy hat swayed in the wind, giving away the position of the robed mage. With nothing else to do and with her inability to sleep, Mikoto decided to see who was up at this hour like she was.

Quickly she walked out into the walkway and made her way towards there she saw the figure. As she rounded the corner she could her the small watermill turning and the sound of the water as it moved past the wheel. The black mages loved mills of all kinds. They though they were peaceful instruments, which could not be use in anyway for war. She admired their notions and thought they were correct, although she always loved the sound of the moving water.

Breaking from her peaceful trance, Mikoto took a step towards the mage standing near the windmill. The dark robed figure was staring at the mill, not moving nor talking. Slowly she approached, trying best not to move to quickly in fear of disturbing their peace. She took only two steps before the silence was broken.

"Mikoto," said the robed figure, not even turning to face her, "what are you doing up at this time?"

The blonde genome was startled that they knew she was there. Pushing away her shock, she walked slowly to stand beside the mage. As she made her way, she realized whom the figure was. The mage was called Mr. 197, the unspoken leader of the Black Mage Village. Mr. 197 had taken over the silent position after the late Mr. 288 had passed away, or 'stopped' as the black mage's called death. They did not comprehend death as she did, but they were slowly understanding how precious life is. As she reached where the mage was, she noted that he had the same clothes on as he always did. In fact, they were the same clothes that the mages always wore, a simple dark blue robe, with white baggy pants and black shoes. Of all their clothing, the single most identifying feature was their large yellow pointy hat. They had no faces, only two bright yellow eyes, which were the only proof that life existed within those clothes.

"I could not sleep," she said, finally answering the mage's question. Even though she did not want him know the reason, the words seemed to come out of her without thinking. She explained to him the connection she had with her brother, about the pain and mental emotion that accompanied. Mr. 197 seemed to be very interested in her telling, his brilliant yellow eyes showing his concentration on her as she talked. Once she was finished, Mitoko sighed and looked away towards the watermill.

"So this connection," asked Mr. 197, breaking the momentary silence that had taken over, "why does it only happen once in a while?" His question was reasonable, even though she knew the answer was simple, to her at least.

"The link between him and I only happens when one of us life is in danger. The link was a defense mechanism installed within us from our creator." Mikoto paused to allow the words to sink into the mage. When he said nothing she continued, "The link also allows us to feel when one of us is in an extreme emotional state. We can also use the link, when the need arises, to communicate with each other telepathically."

"Sort of like the connection my friends and I feel to one another," Mr. 197 said, trying to understand her.

"Something like that."

"Can all genomes feel this connection?"

"No," answered Mikoto, her voice getting more serious. "Only the vessels that were given souls can feel and access this link and become affected by it."

"I see," replied Mr. 197, his yellows eyes unblinking. Wanting to change the subject, he decided to ask her another question that was on his mind, "By the way, how is Alana? I heard she was having a headache."

"She is well and sleeping now," Mikoto said, never taking her gaze off of the watermill. The sound of the water filled ever pause in her voice, almost blending with her words. "Her headache, as you call it, is now gone."

"What could have caused her pain?" asked Mr. 197, looking a bit concerned.

Mikoto slowly turned to look the mage in the eyes; a small smile came to her lips. "For the same reason I had mine," she said softly before turning back to look at the watermill.

No more explanation was needed, as she knew the mage understood what that meant. The question that came next though, she did not expect. "Do you think he knows?"

The blonde genome closed her eyes and shook her head. "No,' she said.

"Do you think he will ever find out?"

"In time," she answered, then though again, "hopefully soon."

"What do you think he will do once he finds out about her?" Mr. 197 finally asked as he too turned to look at the watermill.

"He will come," Mikoto replied with confidence, as a small gust of wind brushed through her soft blonde hair. She gave a heavy sigh as no more words were spoken between them. They just stood there, watching and listening to the water, as it trickled past the watermill.

* * *

**Yes, another plot twist! I figured a sngle linear plot line is boring and I should keep to the concept of multi-complex plot lines like FFIX. Remember to REVIEW and keep looking for more!!!! Thanks for sticking with me!**


	9. Ch 8: The Tournament

**Author's Note: Yes, a faster update…I know need for applause. This is where the story starts to dive into more detail on is many subplots. The tale is complex and I hope I do not lose anybody in the telling. Again please review if you want to be entered in the drawing for two character openings coming up. One opening is a very heavy role. Special thanks to Krimson for reviewing and sticking with the story from the beginning. His SI for FFIX entitled Shattered Mind: Issues is the best I have seen written. So review….REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any SquarEnix characters. I do however own my own creations and if anybody tries to steal them…you better think twice….or just write a nice check.**

* * *

**Chapter 8:**

**The Tournament**

Zidane unsheathed his daggers at his side and readied himself along side his comrades. His other friend Blank was on the ground behind him, right where they laid him down, unconscious but alive. He injures were bad, but not life threatening. Either way, they would have to wait; the party had a bigger problem at hand.

A thunderous roar bellowed from across the dry desert landscape. Zidane watch the beast kick up dust, creating a brown cloud, which temporarily blinded the party. Steiner quickly dispersed eye drops, which they all used vigorously. The clear liquid eased the blondes irritating eyes, as the medicine perfectly washed away the dust. As his eyes cleared up, Zidane finally got a glimpse of the beast even though he already knew what it was. The Adamantoise stared back at him through its two-foot diameter eyes. The beast was covered in an armored shell, roughly seventy feet wide with sharp spikes blasting out from the sides all around. The shell was cracked and brown colored, evidence of the animal's prolonged exposure to the relentless sun. The beast was so large, that it cast a shadow over the party, blocking out the sun temporarily.

Twirling his daggers in his hands, Zidane glimpsed over to his friends. Steiner had his sword at the ready, the _Ragnarok's_ blade reflecting colorfully as it captured straying rays of sun light that pierced through to the party. Gene was set back a behind them, her ice staff out and ready to cast. Her father had left her all his staffs, yet Zidane would only give them to her as she learned and gained experience. Her eyes reflected her fear, and her burning desire to help. She was so much like Vivi.

"All right guys, let's do this!" barked the blonde as he focused on the large beast in front of him. The Adamantoise let out a deafening roar, as if in response to the threat. The beast lifted its front feet high into the air with the most amazing agility. It was preparing to attack again.

"Gene, NOW!" screamed Zidane as he rushed towards the giant tortoise. The Adamantoise must have seen the blonde coming at him because the creature started bringing its feet back down at an alarming pace. Zidane saw the giant feet coming down on him and tried to roll out of the way.

Suddenly there was a thunderous clap mixed in with the sound of breaking glass and crushing rock. The blonde looked up to see that the Adamantoise had done a face plant into a giant spiked ball of ice. The creature bellowed in pain as two of the ice spikes had punctured into its underbelly and neck respectively. Tiny ice shavings swirled around the spiked ball like planets around a sun. Zidane could not help but crack a smile as he watched Gene give a flick of her staff, instantly exploding the ice ball right in the creatures face. There was a tremendous sound that Zidane realized had not been from the explosion, but from the Adamantoise. As the ice dust cleared away into nothing, the party saw the damage. The beast was still alive, hurt, and very pissed off. Time was now very crucial.

Steiner made the first move, running at the beast nearly full throttle. His battle method was ludicrous, yet oddly successful. When he was near the Adamantoise, he brought his sword down with all his strength screaming, "_Climhazzard!_" There was a sudden concussion in the air followed by an explosion of red and orange light, as the full power of the attack was unleashed. The target backed up from the force of the blow, hollowing in rage and pain. Zidane ran from his post near his friends, trying to circle around the back of the Adamantoise and create a distraction for his friends to attack. As he neared the back of the giant tortoise, he saw it coming.

The tail hit him with enough force to crush a boulder into pieces. Instantly all the air was forced out of his lungs as he was sent flying backward. He hit the ground hard, absorbing the impact with a well-executed and agile roll. He dug his feet into the ground to stop his retreat, creating small plows of dirt behind him. The Adamantoise roared in triumph, looking pleased with its quick show of power. The beast was strong, that was for sure.

"Need any help?" a voice said from behind, as both Steiner and Gene turned around to see Bodan standing there. Zidane never took his eyes off of the beast.

"I thought you'd never ask," the blonde said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He flicked his dagger in his left hand, signaling the big man to join the fight.

Bodan ran over to the three combatants, reaching his hand behind his back as he came. He slowly drew out his weapon; a two-handed giant axe. The blade sat at the end of a four foot long stained wooden shaft. The shaft had a curve to hit that made a slight s-bend. The blade was made of wrought iron, with a light blue cutting tip that could only be mythril. The weapon looked powerful and deadly. Add that to the strength of the person wielding it and the result would be a shear powerhouse of physical force that nobody would want to be in the way of.

Without words, the group sprung into action. Gene released a simple fire spell, sending flames into the Adamantoise's face. This distraction was small enough to allow Steiner to sneak in and deliver a fierce blow with the _Ragnarok_ to the underbelly of the beast. The giant tortoise roared in pain, lifting its giant front foot high off the ground. Zidane saw that the beast's target; Gene. He slid in the dirt to a halt, pointed his hand out at the creature and screamed, _"What's that!?"_, louder then he ever had. The Adamantoise stopped the attack and, looking a bit confused, turned around to look behind itself.

Upon seeing the opening, Bodan ran at the beast at full speed. Before reaching the sweeping tail, he jumped up, with surprising agility and strength for a man his size. As he was about to land on the giant tortoise's back, he bent his legs and as soon as his feet came in contact with the shell, he sprung up again. He gripped his axe with both hands and raised the weapon over his head as he was in mid-air. Bodan's large form seemed to hang in the air forever, but gravity was the only element that held that title. As he came down, he swung his axe over his head with surprising speed. The blade contacted the top of the Adamantoise's head, but did not stop there. There was a tremendous scream and the beast mad a series of heavy convulsions before all its limbs dropped to the ground instantaneously and it breathed out its last breath.

Bodan pulled his axe out of the monster's head. The weapon had gone clean through, sinking in almost up to where his hands were holding it. With his axe free and clear, the big man jumped down from top the Adamantoise. He landed with a hard thud, creating a small dust cloud around his feet. Cleaning his weapon with a flip of his wrist, Bodan replace the axe behind him where he carried it.

"Wow," proclaimed Zidane as he sheathed his still unused daggers, "That was pretty impressive. You may almost be as skillful as I am."

"Really," said Bodan, raising a questioning eyebrow at the blonde. "I guess I'll take that as a compliment."

"Nonsense!" bellowed Steiner, unable to keep his silence any longer. "That was a pure valiant effort. You have great skill, power, and speed if I do say so myself."

"Likewise," Bodan answered with a nod.

"Thank you."

"B-boss…," a weak voice broke out, breaking everybody out of their conversation.

"Blank!" gasped Zidane then turning to Steiner, "Rusty, I need an Elixir."

The Alexandrian knight reached into his travel sack, grumbling at the name the blonde used. He pulled out a bottle filled with a brilliant azure blue liquid and tossed the item into the waiting hands of the thief.

Zidane quickly rushed over to the prone form of his friends lying on the ground. Blank looked up at him and gave a faint gasp, "Boss…you sure got prettier."

Confused, Zidane shook off the subconscious comment and uncorked the bottle. He knelt down, titled his friends head back using a handful of hair and emptied the elixir into his mouth. Blank coughed as he drank, spitting up some but most of the medicine went down. Seconds passed with no response and Zidane got back to his feet.

Slowly, Blank's eyes blinked as the elixir took full effect in replenishing his strength and health. He coughed a few times as some remaining liquid entered his lungs. With his body healed, he sat up on his elbows, breathing heavily.

"Welcome back, bro," said Zidane; a small smile reaching his lips as the wind blew lightly threw his blonde hair.

"W-what happened?" asked the red-headed bandit, as he forced himself to his feet. His balance was a little off but he managed without help from the others even thought they did offer.

"We got ambushed by an Adamantoise," informed Steiner, looking very confident. Blank stared at him with a puzzled look on his face.

"A giant tortoise with huge spikes and a bad attitude," cleared up Zidane as he tried puts the description into words his friend would understand. Blank had never seen an Adamantoise before so the blonde pointed over his shoulder, "It's right behind me. Dead."

The red-headed bandit looked at the motionless mass of shell and flesh lying on the desert ground and nodded, "Nice."

"T-the monster caused an e-earth shake," intersected Gene as she fiddled with her fingers, "and you almost fell through a crack in the ground. Z-Zidane saved you."

"I do remember that," said Blank as he thought to himself. He then turned to the blonde and pointed his finger, "I almost had that jump. I was so close."

"Yea, sure ya were," smirked Zidane as he walked over to his friend and patted his back softly and sarcastically repeating, "So close."

"Whatever, thanks for saving my ass."

"Again."

"Shut up," Blank mumbled and walked off towards Bodan's airship.

"Well," Bodan said, trying to bring everybody back on the same page, "what will you all do now?"

"We need to get back to Alexandria," Steiner answered, his urge to return to his queen clearly showing. Zidane felt the same way, though he did not show the feelings. "Can you return us to Daguerreo so we can find the airship that travels to Alexandria?"

The big man smiled at the knight, "I may know the pilot of the airship you seek."

"Do you really," sparked the knight, his eyes beaming with anticipation. "Could you take us to him?"

"No need," laughed Bodan, "he is already here."

"Where?" Steiner asked, looking around frantically, "I cannot see him." Zidane just shook his head as he watched the admiral search the horizon.

"He means himself, Rusty," the blonde sighed, unable to take the knight's stupidity any longer. Realization finally flowed through the face of Steiner as he let out a small gasp.

"You…you are the pilot," he said pointing at Bodan. The big man nodded and smiled. "Well then, I must resubmit my last request. Can you take us to Alexandria? If you can fit us, we would be in your debt."

"Think nothing of it," replied Bodan, placing a hand on his chin. He shrugged his shoulders and turned towards his airship, calling back as he walked, "I will have you there quicker then you can drink a pint of Daguerreo's famous Dragon's Ale."

"I could go for some of that right now," Blank said to Zidane as he walked towards the airship.

"I have some on board," hollered Bodan from inside the cabin. The red-headed bandit made a fist in triumph as he climbed through the hatchway. Steiner followed him in with Gene directly behind him. Zidane took one last look at the ruins of _The Judgment_, bringing back the memory of the stranger he encountered inside.

_The time has come._

A gust of wind blew through his blonde hair, pushing his bangs into his face.

_Her kingdom will fall again._

What did they mean? Were they talking about Freya? Or Dagger? He did not want to think of harm coming to either one again. He would find out who this person was and what their motives were. Shaking his head of the thoughts, he turned back to the now running airship, climbed in and shut the hatch behind him.

* * *

Garnet walked down the large central staircase of the castle, adjusting the buttons on her blouse. She was sick of wearing the dress, of how it dragged her down. She was relieved to be rid of its heavy clutches. In the dresses place she wore a simple white blouse, short sleeved and flowing like silk. Her silver pendant hung brightly around her neck, draping over the shirt. A simple maroon skirt cascaded down her legs, cut off just above the knee. Small black velvet slippers covered her tiny feet. Her hair was down and free, the dark black layers curving around her flawless face. She stopped at the foot of the stairs just as the two massive front doors to the castle opened, let rays of sunlight reflect off of the ancient marble floor.

As she stared, Garnet noticed two figures make their way through the doors, casting across the front foyer as they walked. She recognized one of them by the rich flowing hair, and the powerful sword hanging from their side. It was none other then her general, Beatrix. She had the most radiant smile Garnet had ever seen her possess. As the general approached her, she realized the person walking with her was a young man. Then it dawned on her. She now knew why the general must by so happy. But before she could gain her thoughts, Beatrix stopped in front of her and cleared her throat.

"My Queen," she started with a salute in the traditional Alexandrian way. Garnet waved the gesture down. "I would like to introduce you to my cousin, Nathan Traer."

Beatrix placed a hand on the back of the young man beside her. He was about her height, medium build and well poised. His burnt blonde hair coolly accented his face, from his deep blue eyes to the welcoming smile. He wore a white shirt, unkempt and unbuttoned halfway to reveal a chiseled chest. A strange silver necklace hung from his neck and rested on his bare skin. Below his unkempt shirt, he wore a pair of brown pants, which were tucked into the calf high black boots he had on. No weapons hung from his back, or his belt. Unlike his cousin, he did not seem like a warrior.

Nathan stretched his arm out, awaiting hers. Garnet replied by meeting him halfway. She did not want to insult him, for fear of insulting Beatrix as a result. He shook her hand gently, lowering his head in a small bow. "The pleasure is mine, your highness."

Garnet gave a single slow nod in response as he released her hand. "Please come with me," she said leading them up the stairs. "I shall show you to your room. You shall be staying at the castle. Any relative of Beatrix is a friend of mine. I would have no less." She spat out the last part quickly, trying to give him no choice in the matter. He did not argue.

Garnet showed him the guest room, which had been prepared for his stay by the castle staff. The room was larger then he needed, but it would suffice. "Let me show you some of the key points of the castle," Garnet stated, turning away from the guest room. Nathan and Beatrix followed.

"So what brings you here," she finally asked, as they walked down the hallway.

"Well of coarse, I originally planned to come here to visit with Beatrix," he said, turning to glace at his cousin. Beatrix returned his gesture with a smile. "I have never met her before, only told of by my father. It is good to finally meet her."

"Beatrix is a fine general," Garnet said, "and a great friend as well. I trust her with my life."

Nathan nodded in response to her words. "As I have been told," he said turning to face the general again. "You have done well for yourself, haven't you Beatrix."

"Nothing I do is for my own self gain," she smirked. "Everything I do is for the good of the throne." Her words rang as true as stone.

"I see."

"You said you had 'originally' planned to come here to see Beatrix," Garnet asked, feeling a fleck of regret upon bringing it up. "What else has drawn you here?"

"The Royal Alexandrian Tournament," he said without looked at either of the women. "I heard about it on the way here to visit Beatrix and would like to know more about it."

Garnet raised her eyebrow in acknowledgement. "I see. Well, I am sure Beatrix can do a better job of explaining the details then I can. She is in fact the defending champion."

Nathan showed no signs of surprise at the notion, his face unreadable. "Well then, would you care to give me a quick tutorial of the event?" He gave his cousin a glace, his blue eyes seeking more information.

Beatrix did not contest. "The Royal Alexandrian Tournament goes back many generations, perhaps even one hundred years. The event takes place every four years and spans over four weeks to complete. The final match is traditionally set for the eve of the summer solstice, as the red moon faces the blue." She paused as they walked by a picture of the red and bleu moons set behind the great gleaming sword of Alexandria. She gave the piece of art nothing but a glance.

"The tournament is a test of ones skill, honor, and intelligence in battle. Over two hundred contestants compete for one honor: to be crowned the Royal Knight and have the chance to wield this sword." With astounding speed she unsheathed the sword at her side and held it vertical. The long hardened blade shown brilliantly, as it caught the straying rays of sunlight coming through a nearby window. The red gems on the blade reflected with the sparkle of magic that they were entombed. "The _Save the Queen_; given only to the most skillful and intelligent knight. It is a magnificent sword that has seen much triumph, as well as much bloodshed."

"My, my," Nathan said, as he stared at the sword. Beatrix giggled and sheathed the weapon back at her side.

"The battles within the tournament are non-lethal, although that does not mean accidents have not happened; regrettably." She stopped walking to stare out a window that over looked the theatre court below. Both Nathan and Garnet did the same. "The tournament takes place here, at the court below. Battles are won only two ways; knock out or submission. There are rules that apply but I will not go into them."

"No need to," replied Nathan. "When can you sign up?"

Beatrix looked into his eyes, questioningly. "Sign up for the tournament starts in three days. Why do you ask?"

"I am interested," he said, glancing over at her. She only smiled as the message was received.

"Good," she said, nodding her head. "Sign up. Maybe you will be able to give me a challenge."

"Maybe," Nathan repeated, forcing a smile. He glanced back down at the court below.

"Well now," interrupted Garnet, moving a strand of hair out of her face. She extended a tiny arm out elegantly. "Shall we continue the tour?"

"Yes," he said, nodding in acceptance. The two women started off together, with Nathan following. They were busy talking to each other in whisper, trying not to be heard. Nathan stared at them as they walked, his deep blue eyes fading for a second…fading to reveal a much different color.

Purple.

* * *

**I know, I am evil! Who is Nathan you ask? Only time will tell? Please stay tuned…more updates to come soon. As always and Review!!!!!!!!!**


	10. Ch 9: Fourth Angel of Death

**A/N:**** Sorry for the longer delay…classes started so I was a little preoccupied. Just starve me of my cookies…how is that. Ok well to make up for it I made this chapter a bit longer and revealed some details about certain people. Special thanks to 'superloser', roxas, and Krimson for their reviews and support.**

**Contest update:**** Last chapter to review and have your name put into the hat. Drawing will be revealed in a couple of chapters for the two character slots!**

**Baku's Disclaimer: Solark doesn't own any characters from the original game. He stole them.**

**Solark: Wait…no I didn't.**

**Baku: Gwahahaha…don't be shy. Tell the good readers your true identity.**

**Solark: Um…that's illegal. I could go to jail.**

**Baku: Oh shit….well…um….better start running.**

**Solark: DAMN IT! On with the fic. **_**(runs away to hide from the feds)**_

**Chapter 9:**

**Fourth Angel of Death**

The wind blew through the tree tops, playing a melody against the silence in the air. Below, a small brush moved. There was no wind near the ground. The small blonde girl gripped her daggers tighter. She had to be careful. The large Griffon had been stalking them since they left the village. It was keeping its distance, waiting for the right time to attack.

Invincible.

Or so it thought.

The young girl laughed at this notion. She took a quick glance over her shoulder. Standing behind her was another blonde girl, almost identical in appearance although a bit older. She nodded to the young girl in front of her, a bow and arrow pointing straight at the position of the Griffon. They were ready, daggers and arrows against beak and claw. The brush moved again. They had to move.

"Now, Alana!" ordered the older girl. She raised the strung bow to her check and aimed, waiting.

Alana made no hesitation. She ran at the hidden creature, daggers flaring but not in attack. She wanted to draw the Griffon out of hiding. Ahead the brush moved suddenly, a long drawn out cry spilling into the air. Alana smiled as the large four legged bird ditched the brush, turning its attention to her. The tactic worked.

Suddenly there was a faint whoosh in the air as the older girl released her hold on the tension of the bow. The arrow flew with precise guidance, piercing the Griffon in the neck. Flawless. As quick as she fired the arrow, she had strung another in its place. Always at the ready.

The impact of the arrow halted the bird's movement. It snapped at the wound, trying to use the bone crushing beak to remove the arrow. With the Griffon distracted, Alana saw her opening. Quickly, she ran towards a nearby tree, jumped and placing both daggers in one hand, grabbed onto a low branch with the other. She used her forward momentum to swing herself in a loop around the branch. When the timing was right she let go of her spin, flipping and spinning in mid air. In the middle of her aerial attack she spread her arms out, now holding one dagger in each hand. With blinding speed and deadly accuracy, she whipped the blades consecutively at the Griffon.

The dagger hit their mark. The giant bird let out an agonizing cry as both weapons punctured through its flesh and feathers. Bones cracked as one dagger pierced the Griffon's head; the other targeted its chest. Its legs buckled as nerves shut down. With nothing to hold the bird up, its fully feathered body, now covered in its own blood came crashing to the ground. Red liquid poured onto the ground, pooling up in the dirt and leaves.

The Griffon would stalk no more.

With a sign, the older blonde girl lowered her bow. "Nice move, Alana."

The younger blonde walked over to the dead bird and pulled the arrow out of its neck. "Nice shot, Mikoto."

"Thank you," Mikoto said, placing her arrow back in her quiver. In her other hand she held her bow, a long bow made from the wood of the Southwest Forest. The bow was beautifully carved and polished with wood laxer. Strengthened with magic, the bow was strong and capable of firing her mythril arrows with deadly speed and accuracy. It was simple mage bow, but he served to her strength. She was an excellent marksman, but while she did have good skill in wielding daggers, she preferred the feel and use of the bow above all. Besides, Alana was a much better fighter then she was anyway.

Satisfied, she placed the bow in its holder on her back. Out of her way yet always within reach if needed. That was why she was created; to fight. She looked at Alana, watching her remove her daggers from the dead Griffon.

She to, was created to fight.

Created to kill.

Created, as the fourth Angel of Death.

But she was saved from that fate. They both were saved. She never would have thought that he would do what he did. Then again, he was abandoned and raised on the very planet he was set to destroy. That abandonment had altered his very creation and purpose, something she never thought was possible.But now she understood how he did it.

Love.

Love and a passion to help others was what had overwritten his internal being. It was something that their creator, Garland, never anticipated. That mistake had become his undoing. Zidane defeated Garland, with the help of his friends; people that he loved and cared for. It was friendship that then aided in his search and defeat of the one person he was so much alike, yet so very different.

Their brother and first Angel of Death, Kuja.

Kuja was to bring fear, war, and chaos to Gaia. This task was needed to help move the cycle of souls between Gaia and their long destroyed home world of Terra. But Kuja was only a temporary tool in Garland's hand, becoming to reckless with his power. So Garland created another angel, Zidane.

Jealousy overtook Kuja, and he abandoned his young brother and future replacement on Gaia. Garland was furious and in response, created herself and Alana. Mitoko was functional much sooner, as Alana was mysteriously kept in incubation for much longer then usual. Her fate, along with Mikoto's seemed grim at best. That was until Zidane came and saved them and showed them what love and friendship was. He opened up a whole new world for them, full of feelings and senses that she never though existed. Perhaps Kuja abandoning Zidane on Gaia was a blessing. A blessing that finally saved the genomes from having no life; from being used as mere vessels.

Mikoto watched Alana wipe her daggers clean of the Griffon's blood. The young genome was not but nine years old, spending eight of those years in the incubation chambers. Why had she been kept in so long? Mikoto shivered at the thought of what she would have been used for had Zidane rescued them.

Alana was like a smaller younger version of Mikoto, down to her identical blonde hair and unique tail. She wrote the same type of clothes; white blouse with and vest along with pant and black boots. The only difference was that Mikoto's vest and pants had pink in them while Alana's had purple.

A noise snapped Mikoto out of her thoughts .She looked to she Alana sheathing her daggers back on her belt. She looked up at Mikoto and smiled. "Ready to go?"

"Anything on the bird," she answered, nodding towards the dead carcass. Alana shook her head. "Alright then, let's get going. We only have a small window to get there, get what we need, and get back. I do not feel like walking through the forest at night…again." Alana nodded in agreement without looking at Mikoto.

The two had left the Black Mage Village, hidden deep within the lush and dangerous Southwest Forest, to make a routine supply trip to the neighboring village of the dwarves, Conde Petie. The dwarves built their village across an underlying canyon, its base resting atop two massive tree trunks. How the dwarves got the trunks into their positions is still a mystery, one they refuse to reveal. The actual structure of the village was simple and plain, using stone and wood as a material base. The place took on a weathered look, mainly due to its location and the heavy wind it receives from the canyon valley below.

Regardless of the village's appearance, the place had a very successful market. People came from all over Gaia now in seek of the dwarves' herbs and produce. While their produce is grown within the village, the herbs are all gathered locally from the wild. The dwarves have incredible knowledge of the area and its offerings and know which herbs can do what. It is because of that alone and their ability to keep their knowledge secret, that they have become so successful with their market.

The two female genomes continued walking, finally making their way out of the forest and into the sun. They were welcomed by a light breeze coming off of the ocean bay in front of them. Small waves crashed into the sand, creating a white border between land and sea.

Mikoto looked at the water with awe. It was one of her favorite things to do. Back on her home world, water never moved. But here in her new world, her new home water flowed just like time. It was almost like it was alive and she could feel its power. She smiled at this thought.

Not stopping to take in the peacefulness, the two made a sharp turn to the left and started their trek up the mainland, putting the sun to their backs. The walk was not strenuous; in fact they barely noticed the gradual increase in elevation as they walked. The mainland was not as cool as the shore; it lacked the breeze but was entirely bearable. The trip to Conde Petie was roughly one hour by foot and they were half way there.

Alana walked on Mikoto's side, quietly humming to herself. They were coming up to the highest point on mainland, a small hill, when Mikoto noticed Alana bend down while she walked to pick something up.

"What is it?" she asked, looking her sister in the eye.

Alana's bright turquoise eyes glanced down to her hand and the object resting inside of it. She shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know. I have never seen anything like it."

Mikoto looked at the object resting in the girl's palm. The object was oddly shaped, jagged and unsymmetrical. The color of pure solid silver, its surface reflecting the suns rays wildly. But even with its apparent solidity, the object had a strange translucency to it. An odd familiarity ran through Mikoto as she stared at the object.

"Me either, she mumbled. "Must be some type of a gem or a stone."

Alana just smiled as they kept walking. She could not take her eyes off of it. "It's so pretty."

"They keep it," Mikoto said plainly. "If it brings you happiness, then why should you not."

Alana giggled, her bright eyes dancing with delight. Carefully, she placed the stone into her pocket but almost dropped it as she bumped into Mikoto.

"Hey, what's going on…?" Her words trailed off as she looked at her sister. Mikoto had come to a direct stop, a small gasp coming from her lips. She stared off into the distance, unblinking.

Alana gazed at her sister, worry forming a wrinkle on her brow. "Mikoto…are you alright?" Her question was left unanswered, as Mikoto showed no signs of motion…just a cold, blank stare. Alana had never seen her sister like this. A wave of dread shot through her like hot water though ice, cracking at her very soul. She did not know what the feeling was but she knew she did not like it, not one bit.

"Mikoto, answer me…please," Alana said, clear panic filling her voice. Suddenly she sensed it; or rather smelt it to be exact. A faint odor in the air, tickling inside her nose. She recognized the smell from back at the Black Mage Village, when they burned wood into fire for cooking and such. There was more to this odor though, something that nagged at her senses but she just could not put her finger on it. Her sister knew though.

"Mikoto…?" She grabbed the older girls shoulders, giving her a light shake. Nothing. Mikoto just continued to stare of into the distance. Slowly, Alana turned her head, following the line of sight of her sister. What she saw made her whole body tense up, fear flowing through her like hot metal. She let out a gasp, covering her mouth with her hand.

Towering in front of them, rising almost to the clouds was a thick column of black smoke. Alana followed the mass down to the ground, trying to find the source. Bowel rose in her throat, she fought to keep it down.

The village…

Conde Petie was burning.

* * *

Zidane rubbed his temple, trying his best to clear his mind. He knew the headache was not from the Dragon's Ale, he drank more then his share over the years…it never affected him like this, least not anymore. No, this headache was caused by something different, something inside of him nagging to get out – or to connect.

A small pat on the back knocked him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Blank, holding his very own pint of Dragon's Ale, smiling at him.

"I can't believe Bodan had this stuff on board," Blank said, taking a big swig of the brew. "What luck, eh bro?"

"Sure is," the blonde replied, pushing aside the remaining effects of the headache. Nobody had noticed. That was a relief. Looking around, he took the time to admire the airship he was in.

The cabin itself was no bigger then the _Judgment's_, although the orientation was much more efficient. There were to seats, pilot and co-pilot, in the front facing the controls and domed shaped from windshield. They were occupied by Bodan and Steiner, both of whom did not have anything to drink. Thank god. The back seats were a bit different though, with the ability to seat four other passengers, the back was arranged with two seats on each side, facing each other. Blank and Zidane sat side by side on one section while Gene was asleep across from them. Bodan had placed the bearing in the seat next to the little mage.

The outside of the ship was interesting, incorporating many different designs into one. The main hull, like the Judgment, was shaped like a tear drop with the main propeller at the rear. But above the hull was a hot gas balloon, like those of the cargo ships. This balloon was not big but more sandwiched, keeping a low profile to the airship. The design was interesting, but it did seem to enhance the airships handling. Intrigued by this concept, Zidane placed his ale down and walked over to stand behind the two fronts seats, placing one hand on each seat back.

"So Bodan," the blonde said. "What's the name of this beauty?"

The big man glanced over at him, his green eyes studying Zidane for a moment. He smiled and turned back to look at the open sky before him. "She is called the _Whisper_. My father and I built her together."

"That is truly amazing," Steiner said. "I commend you and your father on building such a fine airship."

Bodan smiled at the knight's comment, his gaze unmoving though. "My father never got to see the finished product. He died last year…he was very ill. I finished the ship on my own, completing and making the maiden voyage early this year."

Steiner's face flushed red. "My apologies for my hasty remarks, I was not thinking clearly"

"Think nothing of it," said Bodan, shaking his head. "I take pride in those words. My father was a great engineer and ship builder. I am proud to be his son and take you words of praise to heart."

"Well from what I see, he has raised a fine son," Steiner replied, the color returning to his face. Bodan gave a small grunt of laughter.

"So why did you name it the Whisper?" asked Zidane. He did not want to appear rude but the name interested him. Why would they name the airship as such? Bodan was not offended as the question though.

"My father was an engineer, building airships and their engines back in Lidblum," Bodan started.

"Did he know or work with Regent Cid??" blurted Steiner, not bothering to excuse himself.

Bodan nodded and continued. "He worked there for many years, helping in the development of many new and advanced technologies. He was on the development team for the modern steam engine and many other designs. While under the supervision of the Regent and all his resources, he finally helped develop an engine that was both efficient…and quiet." He gave Zidane a glance to the side. The blonde did not interrupt.

"My father came up with an ingenious idea to lower the noise output of the steam engine…make it stealthy. The Regent was in full support of his claim and gave him full access of the engineering side of his team. Months later my father finished and had a working steam engine that could barely be heard." Bodan patted the flight stick of the airship. "I have his very first one he build inside the _Whisper_."

"My, my," Steiner said, his face revealing his awe and interest vividly. "I cannot even hear the engine. That is an incredible undertaking. Your father was a man among men, a genius of his time."

"Thank you."

Zidane listened to the airship. He had not noticed the silence before but now… "What about the propeller's though?" he asked, spitted the though out before he could stop himself. "Wouldn't you hear the impact as the blades smacked the air?"

"True, but after a little research and some trail and error, I solved that problem. All I had to do was angle the tips of the propeller blades away from the angle of rotation…thus dramatically reducing the sound." He took a glance at Steiner, his eyes reliving the triumph of that feat. "Now all you hear is a faint whisper of air when you are very close."

"Whisper…" the blonde thought, scratching his chin. "Is that why you named the ship the _Whisper_, because you can't even hear it."

Bodan just chuckled, shaking his head as he watched the open sky in front of him. "No, no. I named the ship after the cat I had when I was a child, Whisper." He continued his laugh, coughing a bit as he lost his breath. "But now that you mention it, that name does fit."

Steiner grunted in his chair as he shifted his wait. Zidane still could not understand how he could be comfortable doing anything in all that armor.

"I like the name," came a small meek voice from behind the blonde. Zidane turned around to see Gene sitting up, her eyes blinking back at him in wonder. She had always loved flying, unlike her father who always got sick whenever they flew.

"Why thank you Gene," said Bodan, a broad smile spreading across his hardened face. He seemed to take great pride in the airship, as if it was a part of him.

"Why Mistress Gene, how was your nap?" asked the Alexandrian knight sitting beside him. He still called her with that pre-fix, as he had with Vivi out of respect for the mages powers.

"G-good," the little mage nodded. Zidane smiled at her and turned his attention back to Bodan.

"So, how fast is the ship anyway?" he asked, wanting to know more about the airship he was in. He found the topic of interest, which was not always the case. Steiner looked interested as well as Gene. Blank was snoring behind him in his seat.

"Well," Bodan started, but Zidane did not hear the rest. An intense pain exploded within his head, blocking out his vision and hearing. All he felt was he head hit the floor as darkness enveloped him.

* * *

_Smoke surrounded him, forcing him to cough. He could feel the intense heat of the fire baking his skin._

_Where ever he was…Zidane did not know._

_The thick black smoke blocked any sign of a land mark. He could not see anything…alive or dead._

_An explosion blasted into his ear drums, leaving behind a faint ringing._

_Where was he? How did he get here?_

_Thoughts flowed through his head as he tried to blindly make his way through the smoke. He bumped into something. A small wooden chair…a pair of Tetra Master cards lying on top. He picked them up, examining them. They were not burned._

_A small noise caused him to drop the cards. Alert, he listened closely for it again. He heard it._

_A faint whimper._

_Somebody was alive._

_Quickly he made his way to where the noise was coming from. Rounding a corner, he found the source._

_Lying in a small bed, their arms wrapped around their legs; was a small child. Zidane inched closer. The child kept its gaze upon him; their eyes showing both fear and sadness. Zidane's foot bumped into the bed, stopping him a mere two feet from the child. His eyes rested on the small person before him. He let out a gasp._

_He recognized the child. A dwarf._

_He knew where he was…Conde Petie._

_What had happened here?_

_Slowly he reached down to the child, opening up a hand in aid. Suddenly he stopped, looking at his out stretched hand._

_It was not his._

"Zidane…" came a voice within his head. Zidane slowly opened his eyes, blinking as he looked at the face bearing down on him. "Hey bro…you OK?

* * *

The blonde let out a long sigh and looked around. He was back in the cabin of the Whisper, lying down in one of the rear seats. Blank, Gene, and Steiner surrounded him…worried faces eyeing him suspiciously. Well at least Steiner was eyeing him in a suspicious way. Even Bodan was glance over his shoulder at him…the airship seemingly flying on its own.

He attempted to get up, pushing himself up with his elbows. He was quickly forced back down by a sudden pain firing into his head. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to drown away the pain. The attempt was futile.

"What…happened?" he asked through the flares of pain in his head. Slowly the pain subsided and he opened his eyes.

"You were knocked out for like five minutes, bro," Blank said with a worried look. "Rusty here was about to give you mouth to mouth…but I convinced him otherwise."

"Thanks," said Zidane, clearly directing the statement at Blank. Steiner made no sign of taking an effect to the situation.

"So w-what happened…were you d-dreaming," said Gene as she played with her hands on her lap.

"What do you mean?" asked the blonde.

"You were thrashing around back there…mumbling incoherent nonsense to yourself," stated the Alexandrian knight, his eyes watching Zidane's every movement.

"Oh…well…I don't really remember. All I remember is darkness…complete darkness." Suddenly his headache returned, causing the genome's eyes to glaze up. Through his trance he saw it…or rather remembered it. Everything was flashing back to him in an instant. Then as quickly as the headache came, it went away. He breathed out, knock knowing that he had held his breath only moments before.

"Bro…" consoled Blank but Zidane did not hear him. His thoughts were racing back to when he had blacked out. He remembered it all now. The smoke, the fire…everything. Suddenly he shot up from where he lay down, his eyes shot daggers outside the cockpit windshield.

"We need to go to Conde Petie," he said coldly. There was no expression on his face.

"Wait…why?" bellowed Steiner, giving the thief a questioning look. "We must return to her Majesty. Why must we diverge?"

Zidane just continued to stare out the windshield, not glancing at the knight or anybody. "Something…something terrible has happened."

"What do you mean?" Steiner asked the blonde but got no response. "Zidane, you are delusional or something from your headache. Let us return to the castle and have the med…"

"I am not delusional!" Zidane snapped, swinging his head to meet eyes with the admiral. He held the position for a few seconds before slowly turning back to look out the window. "I know what I saw…when I was knocked out. Something has happened in that village…something terrible."

"How do you know what you saw was real or just a dream."

"I don't know. Something inside of me tells me that it was."

"Well, why must we go there? It is not our responsibility."

"Because…" Zidane answered after a long pause. He looked down at his hand, a swell of fear boiling up within him. "Mikoto is in the Black Mage Village."

Steiner sat back in his seat, letting out a low sigh. He understood the blonde's emotional state. Something had scared the thief, a task that was not very easy. Now fear for his younger sister overtook him. She was close to Conde Petie and if something had happened…

"Can you take us to Conde Petie," the knight asked Bodan, turning to face the pilot. The big man nodded his head, confirming the idea. "Thank you."

He then turned back to Zidane who was still looking out the window. "Let's hope you are not right about this." The blonde gave no response, not even noticing his red headed friend walking up to stand next to him.

"So," Blank said, darting his eyes around to everybody. "Where are we going?"

Zidane glanced at his friend, his eyes narrowing to small slits of bright turquoise. His next words relayed the silence message.

"To perform a play."

Blank smirked at his comment. "Well, hopefully we are the first act."

* * *

**A/N:**** Haha…im evil. What happened you say. Well just review and maybe the next chapter will come much sooner. Your loyalty and comments help me write faster. Thanks and as always….R&R!!!!**


	11. Ch 10: The Ruin of Conde Petie

**A/N: Sorry a longer delay….friggin class. Krimson I feel your pain! Anyway, I digest…here is the next chapter. All prim and proper…I think. Well I hope you all like it anyway. Let me know in reviews. I always enjoy them ******

_**Contest Results:**_

**OMG, here it is. The winners for the two character slots for the story. **

**And the first winner is…..(drum roll). Krimson Rouge!**

**And the second character slot goes to…sup3rlos3r!**

**You two will have major rolls in the story! Pm me or tell me in a review what name you would like to have or refer, okay. **

**All others that want to be put in the story but in a minor roll just let me know in your review.**

**Now here is the story!**

**Solark's Agent: Um, you forgot your disclaimer.**

**Solark: What's that?**

**Agent: Oh, dear…..**

* * *

**Chapter 10:**

**The Ruin of Conde Petie**

Alana kicked the door down, a plume of smoke and soot blasting into her face. She pushed the annoyance away with a wave of her hand. Behind her followed Mikoto, eyes darting everywhere, both fear and focus showing through.

The two had seen the smoke and flames from the nearby hill. They heard the screams of terror and the explosions that followed. Somebody or something was attacking the village. Without warning, Alana took off for the village, ignoring the pleas and warnings from her sister to stop. Eventually Mikoto gave up and although reluctant, ran with her to the village. She had been wary and rightfully so. They did not know who did this…or if they were still there.

A crash erupted from behind them as burned timbers fell to the ground. Mikoto nervously whipped toward the sound, her bow out and fully strung. She was taking no chances. Something had put fear into her sister, Alana knew that much. She had seen it in Mikoto's eyes. Never before had she ever seen her sister like that. It sent a cold chill down her spine.

Mikoto lowered her bow, not fully but just enough to be ready when she needed. She took a glance over to her sister, barely being able to see her through the smoke and darkness. "Are you sure you heard something?" she asked, showing obvious concern of their current situation. Alana nodded in response.

She had led her older sister into the heart of the burning village, to see if they could find any survivors. All they found was death and destruction. They were about to leave when Alana heard something, so faint she had to stop and wait to hear it a second time - a faint whimper that only a living creature could make. She had followed the sound through the village to their current location.

Alana turned to her sister, her eyes pleading. "I am positive I heard something."

Mikoto nodded as she looked around at the surrounding area. "Let's hurry. I do not like the feel of this place. I fear it is not safe."

Alana agreed with her sister's thinking. The place was still burning, structures were falling down. It was too dangerous to stay long but she needed to find out if somebody was alive. They both needed to know.

Alana turned around, heading down a stone alleyway. There was no fire where they were only perpetual black smoke. They took a few more steps forward, hands on their weapons. Mikoto wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. The air was getting hotter. That only meant one thing.

As they rounded a stone corner of the wall, they were met with a blaze of orange heat. The entire room was engulfed in flames. A strong aroma of burnt wood and food mixed in with the faint smell of blood and burning flesh. This must have been the market area of the village. There was nothing left. A pang of guilt fled through Mikoto as she though of the innocent dwarves that worked and lived here. Who would do this?

The two crossed by the opening, away from the flames and heat. They continued down the stone alleyway, careful of the unstable wooden supports that hung burnt above them. Mikoto watched as Alana walked along the stone wall, stopping at a small wooden door. Her small hand reached out to touch the frame. She glanced over at her sister.

Mikoto took the message and came over to Alana's side. She reached out her own hand and touched the door. Cool…not hot. There were no flames behind this door. She looked at Alana and nodded.

The younger genome grasped the handle and opened the door slowly. The wooden planks creaked on their metal hinges as it opened. Alana followed the path of the door into the room, Mikoto right behind her with her bow at the ready.

As they entered they noticed one thing; the room was not damaged or burning. Chairs and objects were lying around as if left in place…abandoned. Alana walked past a chair, noted the small scattering of tiny papers resting on the seat. They probably did not even have any warning. Most probably dropped what they were going and fled in fear and chaos. A noise caught her attention.

The faint whimper, as if somebody was crying.

She turned to face Mikoto, whose eyes were darting around the darkened room. She heard the sound too.

Slowly they made their way into the room, the echo of an explosion nearby shaking the room. The area was becoming unstable and unsafe to stay any longer. Plus they did not know if the attackers were still around. They needed to leave and fast.

Alana turned in her tracks, prepared to make her way out of the village when Mikoto put a hand up to stop her. "Wait…I think I saw something."

With that, the older genome carefully walked forwards, making her way deeper into the room. Alana turned to follow her sister, her hands placed atop the hilts of her daggers. They went no more then five feet when she saw it. A small figure sitting on a bed, its arms wrapped around its body in the fettle position. They took a few more steps before they finally realized what the figure was.

It was a small dwarf…a child. A small whimper came from the depths of its tiny body.

Mikoto lowered her bow, replacing the arrow back into her quiver. She looped the bow through her arm and over her shoulder, making her way to the bed where the child sat. Alana followed her has Mikoto kneed at the side of the bed, but not knee as well. She stood behind her sister, glancing around cautiously.

"Are you alright?" Mikoto asked the child. She got no response. Instead, the child raise its head from its lap, bright brown eyes filled with tears. As they looked at each other, the child's eyes rolled into the back of their head. The tiny body slumped to the side…not moving.

Quickly Mikoto scooped the child in her arms and rose to her feet. "We must get this child out of here."

Alana only nodded in agreement and followed her older sister out of the room and down the alleyway. They paused as an explosion ripped through the market area, sending flames jetting into the alley. They continued as the flames moved back into the room. The entire place was a time bomb. Barrels upon barrels of medicines were stored everywhere…all of which were extremely combustible.

As they walked, Alana noticed that Mikoto's pace was slowly down. Maybe the child was too heavy for her, or maybe she was hurt or fatigued. She watched as her sister's steps became slower and slower until she finally stopped. Alana glanced at Mikoto with worry.

"Mikoto…" she said, noticing the older genomes blank stare.

"He is here," answered Mikoto.

A chill ran down Alana's back. "Who…who is here?"

Mikoto turned to face Alana, the dwarf child sit cradled in her arms. She gave the young genome a half smile. "Our brother."

A strange sensation crawled through Alana's very soul. Her brother…their brother was here. She looked at her sister. "Are you sure?"

"Yes,' said Mikoto, turning back around. She looked up at the ceiling, her eyes searching. "But there is someone…something else too." She shifted the weighted of the child in her arms and proceeded to make her way out of the village.

Alana followed; her daggers in her hands.

Still she could not get one thought out of her head.

Her brother was here.

* * *

Panic struck Zidane like a dagger to the heart, every hair on his body stood on end. He had hoped that what he saw in his vision was not true. He wished that it was but a figment of his imagination. He looked around at his friends. They all wished the same…he could tell from their eyes. Even Steiner.

But all that hope had died seconds ago as they rounded the towering Vile Island. There, rising off in the distance, was a column of black smoke.

Conde Petie.

"Can this thing go any faster?" asked Zidane, his lack of patience showing.

Bodan nodded as he grabbed into the throttle. "Hold on."

"Oh no…" sighed Steiner. He quickly fumbled with his seat belt, trying to buckle himself in to avoid a repeat of the day's earlier event. The belt locked in with a resounding click.

Zidane gripped the back of the two front seats as he stood watching the smoke. Bodan pushed the throttle forward and the _Whisper_ lurched ahead, picking up speed. The silent engine had surprising power.

As they approached the village, they finally got a glimpse of the destruction. Flames danced in and around burnt structures. Wooden beams fell crumbling to the ground. An explosion ripped through a ceiling, sending a fireball of orange and yellow soaring into the sky.

Nothing else moved within the confines of the village… or outside of it. Nothing looked to have survived.

Bodan eased off the throttle, banking the airship into a circle around the village.

"There," Zidane pointed. "You can land over there near the front of the village where it's flat."

Bodan nodded and began his decent. He pushed down on the flight stick, dipping the nose of the airship down and getting a small moan from the knight next to him in return. Steiner still got nausea from extreme maneuvers in the air.

With a soft reassuring thud, Bodan touched the airship on the ground. He gently applied the brakes and powered down the engine. Before the _Whisper_ even came to a stop, Zidane had opened the cabin door and he and Blank jumped out. The rest soon followed once the airship stopped.

Once outside, they were greeted by a lingering brown haze. The air was thick with strong sent of burnt wood. Zidane knew they were also inhaling the smell of burnt flesh. He shivered at this last thought.

All was silent. Only death embodied the air now.

"Who would do such a thing?" commented Steiner, finally breaking the silence. His face was one of horror…and anger. "What tragety…"

"This was no accident," said Zidane, his face showing no emotion. "I have a feeling that the same person that person that stole our airship had a hand in this as well."

Rage seemed to boil up within the Alexandrian knight. "If you are right, then this has been a deliberate attack on innocent civilians. This is unforgivable."

Zidane hoped he was not right. If the same person that he saw on the airship did this, then they were dealing with a very highly resourceful person. Or maybe it was not just _one_ person? Fear gripped his insides at this thought. "We must look for any survivors. We have to help them. The attacker might still be here"

His friends nodded in agreement. Nobody argued that point.

As Zidane stood there, facing his comrades all eyes focused on him. Slowly, Steiner reached to his side and in one quick motion withdrew the _Ragnarok_. One by one the rest followed .Gene pulled out her staff; Bodan his axe; and Blank his sword. All were ready and willing to help him.

He reached to his sides and unsheathed his daggers, spinning them in his hand before setting his grip on their hilts. "Let's roll."

With that they were off and on their way into the burning village. Zidane took the league with the rest flanked behind him like an open ended triangle. As they approached the entrance of the village, the ground beneath them started to shake.

"Oh hell no!" swore Blank as he dropped to the ground, sword at his side and hands covering his head. He remembered what happened the last time there was an earthquake.

The group stopped in their track, worried that the village might plunge into the canyon below. Stones and wooden beams fell all over the village. Small pebbles danced to the rumble of the ground near their feet. Then, as quickly as the earthquake came, it was gone. Silence filled the air once again.

"I don't like the feel of this," said Blank from under his manmade shelter .Zidane had to agree with him. Something did not feel right.

As if in response to their thoughts, the ground between them and the village exploded into the air. Large chunks of rocks were sent hurling in every direction. Fortunately, none of them hit the party. But that was the least of their concerns.

From deep within the center of the blast, a deafening roar pierced through the dust and debris.

"Oh crap!" said Zidane, his grip on his daggers growing tighter. Whatever made the sound was big…and angry. His own anger boiled up in him, remembering all the innocent dwarves that lived here. They never stood a fighting chance.

As the party stood their ground, the dust parted before them as a large figure came into view. Only Blank's eyes widened at the site into front of them but he did not run.

The figure was a creature, about as big as a Grand Dragon but standing on two legs. Its face was that of a Fang, with two large curved horns protruding from the top. The body was covered in a ragged, coarse brown fur which was protected by a full suit of red armor. The protective suit looked like it had seen better days. It was in worse shape then Steiner's. The creature held no weapon in its hands, although it did have razor sharp claws.

The menace took a step towards the party, its bright red eyes locked into the group as they stood.

"Who are you?" bellowed Steiner, the Ragnarok beaming with power in front of him.

_"What is it to you?"_

Steiner's eyes almost popped out of his head as he staggered back. Apparently he was not use to having voices in his head. The others showed no sign of a reaction.

_"Mwahahaha. Such a pathetic looking excuse for a knight. How will you ever protect your Queen?"_

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" screamed Zidane. Steiner's face filled with anger at the creature's mention of Garnet.

_"Ah, the genome wishes to speak. Well I think you know who I am."_

"What are you talking about?" said the blonde shaking his head; confused at how this thing knew he was a genome. "I have never seen you before in my life."

_"Pity…"_

"Just answer his question already and get the hell out of our heads!" said Blank as he came over to stand next to Zidane.

_"SILENCE! Yendiga does not take orders from scum such as you!"_

"Well, what are you doing here?" asked Zidane, growing ever more impatient with this creature, Yendiga. "Did you do this to Conde Petie?"

_"Have a hand in the destruction of this village…yes. But it was not my plan. I was but a tool, being used for a greater purpose. I have been left here to clean up the pieces and make sure nobody escapes…alive."_

The anger within Zidane started to build up again. He assumed his battle stance and fixed his grip on his daggers. "We will just have to se about that."

_"Ha, I will enjoy purging this wasteland of your filth."_

"He's all mine," said Zidane as he ran towards Yendiga, his tail curved angrily behind him.

"Not if I get there first," said Blank beside him. He was running right along with the blonde, his sword out in front.

_"You stand no chance. Feel my wrath, Fira!"_

Yendiga quickly conjured the spell in his hands. He shot the magic at the oncoming attackers but Zidane and Blank were ready. They each rolled away in opposite directions of each other. The fira spell hit the ground where they once were, red and orange flames bursting and swirling around in a chaos of heat. As the flames died down, Yendiga searched the burnt ground for any signs of his two attackers. They were gone.

His first mistake.

There was no noise as Blank's sword broke into the creatures left arm. Yendiga cried out in pain as the sword cut through flesh and hit bone. He grabbed the hilt of the sword and ripped it out of Blank's hand, throwing the red headed thief to the ground in the process. He was about to turn the sword on its owner until another pain hit his right midsection. Zidane's daggers had found there mark, opening up both the armor and right into flesh. Blood oozed out of the cut.

_"Impressive but foolish."_

Yendiga flicked his hand, sending a grayish haze of magic to everybody. Suddenly Zidane could not move his body. Only his eyes could move around. He looked at his comrades only to see all of them in the same state.

Stopped.

_"I have had enough. Now I end your pathetic lives."_

Yendiga brought his hands in front of him, palms facing each other. A white and red ball or light was forming in between them. Slowly the light grew with intensity, sending rays of magic spiraling around the creature. There was nothing they could do. They were trapped.

Suddenly something struck Yendiga in the neck, causing him to break his concentration on his spell. He cried out in pain as he reached for his wound.

Immediately after, there was a bright white light and the stop spell was removed from Zidane and his friends. Quickly the blonde spun his head around to see where the object came from. What he saw almost made him fall over.

"Mikoto…" he whispered to himself as he looked on. Mikoto lowered her bow to her side and nodded to her brother. She was here…but not alone. By her side stood another genome, almost identical except smaller and her clothing was a different color. Behind them both lay a small figure, perhaps a survivor of the village. Hope swelled up inside of the blonde thief at the sight of them.

_"Why you pathetic puppets!"_

Yendiga spun around to face the two genomes. Mikoto raise her bow, already strung with another arrow. She was to slow. The creatures spell hit them with such force that they were both thrown backwards nearly sixty feet. They struck the side of a stone wall at the entrance to the village and dropped to the ground. Neither one moved.

Anger swelled up within Zidane at the sight of his sister being attacked. His sister…his family. His anger boiled to a point, wanting to escape. He knew the feeling, the power that was caged and released only by a swell of emotions. The power of Trance beckoned at him, wanting to take over.

He let down his guard…letting the Trance overwhelm him. A bright light surrounded him, shades of white and red swirling and pulsing with the rhythm of his very soul. This was the power of Trance…the power of the minds emotions. With a quick rapid pulse the light final exploded out of Zidane, revealing his true Trance. The thief stood there, a red light pulse out of his body. Even his skin and hair seemed to radiate the powerful glow.

"You shouldn't hit girls," said Zidane, his voice unchanged from the Trance. He was about to attack until a bright blue light blinded him from the side. He shielded his eyes from the intensity of it. As the light faded, Zidane turned his head to see his friend Blank covered in a pulsing blue light similar to the red coming from his body. Blank had gone into Trance.

"Blank…you can Trance?" he said looking at his friend wit ha mixture of awe and shock.

"I guess I can," replied the bandit as he looked down at his hands, which were glowed and pulsing with a brilliant light blue. "Trance is brought on by a surge of emotion, right?"

"Right," poked Zidane as he stared at his friend. The surge of emotion needed to be huge for a Trance to happen. The power increase is a reaction to a direct attack on ones feelings. The feeling has to be strong enough to cause both mental pain and anger, allowing the soul to unleash its true power. What had caused Blank to react in such a way, Zidane did not know. Either way, the fact did not matter. They now had the upper hand and they needed to use it to their advantage.

"Let's get this guy," Blank said, unconsciously confirming Zidane's thoughts. The blonde thief nodded in response. He slammed his daggers back into his belt as Blank kneed down in front of him holding his sword pointing down. Zidane grabbed a hold of the Trance power, searching for the strength he needed to perform an attack. He concentrated deep within his mind until a familiar feeling sent a tingle down his spine. He felt the power and its need for release. He would grant the wish without question, to do his bidding. He looked down at Blank, noticing a bright force of blue energy encircling the hilt of his sword where his hands were. A similar energy force was waiting in his hand, waiting to be set free.

"Grand Lethal!" screamed Zidane as he threw his hand towards Yendiga. The potential red ball of energy in his hand flashed as thousands of red rays of light spread out towards and around the creature. Small red surges were bouncing in between each ray, millions in total. The power of the attack could be felt in the air, but it was not done yet. Surrounding Yendiga in a circle were small three foot sizes balls of blue energy. They too cracked and popped with potential power as they slowly circled the beast.

The creature was cornered and he knew it. Yendiga roared in anger as he attempted to make a run at his attackers. He was too late.

"Fallen Star!" yelled Blank just as Zidane's attack was reaching ignition. The timing was perfect. Every surrounding blue orb sent a penetrating white beam of light towards Yendiga. The entire array looked light a bright, rotating star. Suddenly explosions rocked the ground and air as Zidane's attack unleashed, sending shockwave after shockwave through the air. Inside the devastation, Yendiga howled in pain.

Blank then lifted his sword and sent the now surging blade plunging into the ground. A giant beam of light slammed into Yendiga from above, smacking the air and sending the world into a retina burning light fest. The ground shook, the air fizzled with power, and the impact caused shockwaves that moved the air with immense force.

Then, as quickly as the attack started, it was over. Both Zidane and Blank returned to their normal forms with flashes of light. Blank fell to his knees, exhausted and not use to the sap of power from the Trance. Zidane, breathing hard walked over to his friend.

"That was awesome, bro" he said as he patted Blank on the back. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"I…don't…know," Blank said between breaths. He tilted his head, trying to look around the blonde. "Is he dead?"

Zidane turned around to look at the creature .Yendiga lay on the ground where he stood. He was face down and not moving. A thin mist rose from his body into the sky, telling them the obvious. "Yea, he's dead. Serves him right."

A clink of armor caused him to turn back around to see the rest of the group standing around Blank and him. They looked visibly shaken but all in all were fine. Gene was busy brushing some dust off of her hat and pants.

"I need to find Mikoto and make sure she is okay. I'll be right back," said Zidane.

"We shall be waiting," said Steiner in his usual way.

Zidane looked to Bodan for acceptance. The big man looked back at him with his green eyes and nodded. The blonde returned the gesture and turned off towards the village for his sister.

He did not go far before he saw pink movement near the entrance to the village. That could only mean one thing. She was up and alive. Hope swelled up within the genome and he ran faster. He needed to get to her; to she her with his own eyes. He needed to know she was okay, that she was not hurt.

Once he made it within ear shot he called out to her. "Mikoto!" he yelled as he ran. He watched her knee down wit hone leg on the ground, facing the wall. She did not look at him.

"Mikoto!" he yelled again, trying to get her attention. This time she glanced over her shoulder in his direction. With his superb vision his noticed one thing. Her eyes were glossy in appearance which meant they were watery. She was crying.

Something was not right.

He ran even faster.

He finally made his way to her and slowed down. As he walked up behind her, he noticed why she must be crying. There on the ground, lying against the wall of the village was another genome. It was the one he saw before, smaller yet dressing in a purple suit similar to Mikoto's. Even though he might not know the genome, he felt a stab of sadness. They were just like him, his family. He felt a need to protect them, to help them. They were new to this world and needed nurturing. Seeing the small genome, who was so much like him and Mikoto, lying helplessly on the ground brought pain the his heart.

"Mikoto…" he said quietly as he stood behind her. "Are they okay?"

Mikoto turned her head towards her brother, a lone tear flowing down. "Alana…"

"What?" Zidane asked, relieved that she was talking.

"Her name is Alana," she said as she wiped away a tear from her cheek.

"Is she okay," he asked though he was afraid to know the answer.

"She will not wake up."

Zidane felt his heart drop. Slowly he reached down and touched the fallen girl's neck. A small bump press back against his finger. "She is still alive."

"What is this?" Mikoto asked, her voice shaken. Zidane turned to her to see her touching her face. "What is wrong with me?"

"Those are tears Mikoto," reassured Zidane. "Those happen when you are sad. In this case it means you care about Alana and are sad and worried about her life. It is perfectly normal."

His words seemed to have a small effect on his sister, as she lowered her hands away from her face. He turned back to the young genome on the ground and slowly picked her up in his arms.

"We need to get her to a doctor," said Zidane as he turned to look at Mikoto. She met his gaze.

"There was another one," she said. "A survivor of the village. A small child. I laid them over there." She pointed to where he came from.

"Okay, we will pick them up on our way over to my friends. We have an airship that will bring us to Alexandria where they both can get help."

Mikoto nodded, "I shall come with you then."

"Alright then, stay close and follow me," he said.

They made their way back towards the group and the airship, Mikoto picking up the injured dwarf on the way.

Mikoto watched Zidane as they walked; Alana cradled in his arms. Did he even know who she is?

His sister.

Their sister.

Whether he did or not, it did not matter. He would soon find out. Mikoto wondered what his reaction would be. Hopefully better then back on Pandemonium.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. Now if you would please review I will try and get the next chapter up very soon. And for those of you who want more Dagger, Beatrix, and other character's don't worry. They will be coming…very soon! For now…R&R!!!!**


	12. Ch 11: Converging Paths

**A/N: Woohoo, another update! Yay for me! Come on…cheer for me. I know you want to. Any way, school had delayed this longer but I managed to get it out. I hope it is up to par. **

**Regarding the character slots, both winners characters will be coming later so don't worry if you don't see them soon. They will come.**

**Well this is a short author note…not much to talk about. Well as always…REVIEW!**

**Queen Brahne's disclaimer: Solark owns nothing except for his creations. I am owned by Square-Enix on a separate copy right. Apparently copy rights for games have a certain size limit. Such nonsense….now where is my South Gate Bunt Cake?**

* * *

**Chapter 11:**

**Converging Paths**

Garnet shifted in her seat, pulling the edge of her skirt over her crossed knees. The day and turned to night in the city, and the temperature fell with the change. _Just as well_, she though. She liked wearing the skirt but the need for warmth was beginning to win over that war in her head. Being outside in one of the castles balconies did not help the matter much.

Across from her sat Nathan, his deep blue eyes eyeing the administrator that was writing down his information. Beside him sat Beatrix, her eyes fixed on her cousin but showing no emotion. Garnet knew though, that her general was happy. She could see the pride in her eyes. A faint smile spread out on the queen's face at the thought of Beatrix in this state.

"And that should do it, Master Nathan," said the administrator as he adjusted his overly thick glasses. He folded the paper that Nathan was writing on and placed it in his coat pocket. "You are all signed up for the tournament. I wish you luck."

"Thank you," said Nathan, giving the man a gentle nod of his head.

"This is so exciting," exclaimed Garnet as the administrator left them. She folded her arms in front of her to protect herself from the night's air. "I am honored that you will take part in a great Alexandrian tradition."

"It is my pleasure, although I have to admit I am a bit rusty on my battle skills. Hopefully I will be able to catch up quick enough so that I don't get killed."

"Nonsense," Garnet giggled and she rubbed her arms. Was it getting colder? "As queen of this city, I would like to grant you access to our training grounds. I am sure you can hone your skills back before the tournament begins."

"Thank you, that would be greatly appreciated," he said. He looked over to his cousin and smiled. "Looks like she is trying to give me an advantage over you, Beatrix"

"I see," smiled Beatrix. "You may need all you can get to face me."

"Maybe I won't…ever think of…"

But before he could finish, a familiar ringing in the air could be heard. Garnet looked over at Beatrix to see her standing with her sword, _Save the Queen_ in her hands. She reached down and picked up a spare broadsword that she had lying on the ground. Beatrix always over killed her guard, but Garnet never argued. She trusted her general's choices.

"Then let us see, shall we," Beatrix said as she held out the broadsword to her cousin. Nathan took the hilt and stood up.

"Will you be judge?" he asked Garnet to his side.

"Sure," replied the young queen, excited about what was taking place before her. She glanced to Beatrix, noticing a tinge of a smile trying to escape from her hardened face. Garnet was glad to see her general having fun, as it was a rare site. She then turned her gaze to Nathan, taking in his stance and posture. She did not know much about swordsmanship seeing as she she wielded a staff. But from what she did gather from watch Steiner and Beatrix, she could tell that Nathan knew what he was doing. His feet were in perfect position, evenly balancing his weight to he had full control for an attack or defense. The muscles in his arms flexed as he held the sword in front of him with perfect form. He knew what he was doing, that was for sure. It was more then that. He looked like he was trained for it, trained for combat. This was going to be good. She hoped they did not break anything.

"Alrighty," she said lifting her arm. She brought it down in front of her in a chopping motion. "Begin!"

As soon as she spoke the words, Nathan arced is sword at Beatrix. Brave, but pointless. Beatrix easily brought her sword up to block the attack. The sound of the two weapons colliding rang through the night's air.

With the speed of lightning, the Alexandrian general swung his sword away with hers, followed by a perfect spin on her feet as she took her first offense against her cousin. Surprisingly, Nathan was able to dodge the attack as he leaned backwards. The tip of Beatrix's sword came a mere two inches from his face. With the general's back to him, Nathan took the opportunity for launch another strike of his own. All he caught was steel as Beatrix brought her legendary blade over her head to parry his attack. She did not even need to look.

Garnet stared at the two fighters in front of her. She was amazed at the athletic ability and skill that Nathan seemed to possess. His swings were flawless and, if not for Beatrix's supreme swordsmanship and quickness, would have found their mark perfectly. His deep blue eyes showed years of experience, concentrating fully on his cousin's moves. Nathan was trained in combat and trained well.

The echo of the swords seemed to create a rhythm as they fought. Nathan swung from his right followed by a spin and strike from the left. Both tries were perfectly blocked by Beatrix. Their feet moved opposite to each other, neither giving up an edge. If swordsmanship was an art form, then they were a masterpiece.

Then as Nathan lifted his swung his sword for an attack, Beatrix spun around lowering herself to one knee. She whipped her sword around to block his strike. As the blades connected, there was a shock that pierced through the air and a bright flash of light that generated from the point of contact. Instantly Nathan was thrown backwards, skidded to a stop on his back.

"I believe the winner is Beatrix," proclaimed Garnet as she clapped her hands.

Sheathing her sword, the general stretched a hand down to her cousin. He clasped the offer and she lifted him up of his bottom.

"You fight well," she said, without any sign of a loss of breath.

"Thank you," said Nathan. He also was not showing any signs of breathing hard. "As do you. It is no wonder you are the champion."

A knock at the door caused the three to turn around. An Alexandrian soldier stood in the doorway, her arm in a petrified salute.

"What is it?" asked Beatrix to the soldier. She taught them never to interrupt her or the queen unless the need was dire.

"I have an important message for you, General," stated the soldier.

Beatrix nodded and turned to Garnet. "If you will excuse me, my queen," she said giving a salute and walking towards the door and off the balcony, leaving her queen alone with Nathan.

"That was very impressive," said Garnet, still rubbing her arms for warmth. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"From my father," replied Nathan as he stared at the sword that was still in his hand. "He trained and fought with Beatrix's father, his brother. He then took his knowledge and taught me."

"That is amazing, I did not know your father knew Beatrix's father."

"Small world, isn't it?"

"I guess so," pondered the young queen as she stared off into the night's sky.

"Well, it is sort of hard not to know your own brother," Nathan said with a bit of sarcasm.

"Oh, you're right," flushed Garnet, trying to hide her embarrassment at her previous comment. She just could not get over the fact that Beatrix had a relative. She had always though of her protector as a lone figure. Now she saw the naivety behind those thoughts. Beatrix was just like her, somebody with a deep past that went beyond the confines of Alexandria. They both ended up here, in this very place although not in the same ways. Maybe it was fate, or maybe it was coincidence but neither mattered now. Only one thing did matter. Garnet knew about her past and what happened; Beatrix did not. This was her chance to find out. Nathan had to know something.

She looked away from the night sky to see Nathan staring at her with his deep blue eyes. She felt to blood in her veins flood into her head. Whether it was annoyance or something else she did not know. She just felt weird.

"You look cold," stated Nathan, tilting his head in a curious manner.

Garnet gave a quick nod of her head in acknowledgement. She rubbed her arms again with her hands, feeling the tiny goose bumps that now covered her soft skin.

Nathan placed the sword down on the table in front of him. He extended his arm towards the door where Beatrix had left. "Shall we."

They both made their way off the balcony and into the walls of the castle. Inside the air felt heavy, but it was warm. Garnet relished the change in temperature, unfolding her arms. "Thank the spirits. Why was it so cold outside?"

"Must be a storm coming," he said, raising an eyebrow in her direction.

"Must be," said the young queen with a bit of laughter. She could see what he meant. Usually the air got very windy in Alexandria before a storm. It was one of the sure signs that could be predicted. Surely he was right, but something still nagged at her. The place had never been that cold before any storm she could remember…save for one.

"Anyway," she said, shaking her thoughts away. "We should probably head downstairs. The staff should have dinner ready soon and I am starving. I am sure you could use a good meal after your trip here."

"I sure can," said Nathan patting his stomach. "I have not had anything to eat since I left. I was wondering when this place was going to offer me food."

"What are you trying to imply?" asked Garnet as she started walking down the huge hallway. Nathan followed, looking away as if trying to act like he was not implicating anything.

"Oh, nothing…" he said with a sigh.

"Maybe I will just send you outside to eat with the chocobos then," she threatened.

"Do they taste good?"

Garnet just rolled her eyes, letting out a small giggle at the comment. Nathan sure had a sense of humor that made him comfortable to be around. Sort of like another person she knew.

They continued walking down the hallway until they reached the grand balcony over looking the main foyer. They circle around and made their way down the huge double staircase. About halfway down, the two stopped as they saw a familiar figure approach them from the main entrance across the floor; Beatrix.

The great Alexandrian general made her way to the foot of the stairs where they all met. Garnet noticed something written on her face; worry. Beatrix made her usually salute to Garnet, although this time it was hastily done.

"Nathan, if you please, I need to speak with her Majesty in private," she said to her cousin. Her tone was not so much as asking for a favor but more like an order. Nathan got the message.

"Yes, of course. I will go wait in the dining room," he said before he turned and made he way to his destination.

Garnet could no longer hold her patience. "What is wrong, Beatrix?" she asked in a whisper before Nathan even made his way through the door to the dining room.

Beatrix looked at her queen with her brown eye, the patch still covering the other one. "Zidane has returned."

Garnet's almond eyes narrowed at the report. Anger boiled up within her, her hands balled slightly in a fist. She though in her head about what she was going to do to him ever since he left without telling her. She though about killing him but decided she wanted him alive. Yes…alive. And after she was done…he would never do that again. She would hand him by his tail and beat him with her staff. She laughed to herself on the inside. A beating from a _Whale Whisker_…how embarrassing that would be. Plus it would make her feel better. She was about to make her way to the airship docks when Beatrix spoke.

"Something terrible has happened," she said without moving from her post.

Garnet turned her head back to look at her general. A tinge of dread ran up her spine. "What happened?" she asked, both wanting yet not wanting to know the answer.

"I do not know," said Beatrix, shaking her head. Here face too was showing signs of worry. Steiner was with Zidane. "They sent word from the docks but did not give any details. They requested that you and I come immediately."

Wit ha nod from Garnet, Beatrix led her outside. They turned left and walked down a stone walkway that led to both the airship and boat docks. All the while as they made their way, the only thing Garnet could think about was him. She scolded herself for thinking of the things she did not a few minutes ago. Was he hurt…or even worse? She could not bear the thought of it. She looked at Beatrix and noticed the general increase her speed. She was worried as well, although about a different person. Garnet followed.

As they arrived at the dock, Beatrix burst through the door with enough force to allow Garnet to walk in before it even came back to close. They were met wit ha site that they did not expect. There, docked in the bay where the _Judgment_ used to be was another ship. The flat balloon like apparatus on the top signified that the ship was not Alexandrian nor was it from Lindblum.

Garnet watched as a man exited the airship. He was a large man with a muscular frame and red hair. Definitely nobody she knew. The next person that came out brought a small sigh from her lips. She smiled a bit as Gene waddled out, stopping for second to adjust her hat. A flash of blonde in the doorway caught her attention away from the tiny mage. She gasped as she saw the familiar blonde hair of the genome. But it was not Zidane. She was looking at his sister, Mikoto. Why was she here?

As Mikoto moved down the dock towards the others, Garnet noticed another blonde form come out of the ship. Relief spread through her at the site of him. She also noticed that he was carrying another genome in his arms. That was not good. Steiner exited after him, also carrying a small form in his arms.

Something was definitely wrong.

Without hesitation, she followed Beatrix as she ran down to meet up with to the returning friends. More importantly, she wanted to find out what was going on?

"Zidane!" yelled Garnet as she ran towards his location. He looked at her with his bright turquoise eyes. She could sense a bit of worry within them. "What happened?"

"I can't say right now," he said as he walked past her. She turned on her heels to keep up with him. "We need to get her and the small dwarf child some medical attention. After that I can explain everything."

Garnet opened her lips to argue then thought otherwise. He was right after all. They needed help and he was providing that. He never did change.

She would get answers after.

But for now, as Queen of Alexandria, she needed to show her compassion and provide the necessary attention to those in need. She walked ahead of the group, intent on doing her job.

"Follow me," she said, opening the door that led back out side and to the front entrance to the castle. "We will place them in one of the guest rooms. I will summon Doctor Tot. He happens to be here for study. I am sure he will be more then happy to help."

"Thanks, Dagger," he said, using the nickname she had picked out during their adventures together. He still used the name when talking to her, which she did not mind. In fact she wanted him to call her by that name. It brought her good memories of the times they had, as well as the day he returned to her.

With the utmost haste, Garnet led them back into the castle and up the only guest room she had left, what with Nathan and other delegates staying in Alexandria. Fortunately the room had two beds. She opened the door and allowed the mall to enter, even the large man that she did not know. He gave her a nod as he walked by.

Both Steiner and Zidane placed their unconscious packages on a bed, with Zidane placing his near the far window and Steiner closer to the door.

"I shall do get Doctor Tot," she said before leaving the room. Zidane looked up at her the form on the bed. He gave her a soft nod, as close to an acknowledgment as she would get at the time. With that she left and closed the door behind her.

With Garnet gone, Steiner approached Beatrix, looking the mighty Alexandrian general in the face. Beatrix looked back at him with her one eye. No words were spoken; they needed none. Instead, Beatrix turned her head to stare at the unknown party in the room.

"Who are you?" she asked, piercing the big man with her hard stare.

"My name is Bodan Alour," he said without so much as stepping down from the general's stare. "I am from Daguerreo."

"He helped us get back home," interrupted Steiner, "with the use of his airship. He is an honorable man."

"Thank you," said Beatrix as she gave him a nod. She turned her head back to the man in front of her and smiled. "Well I am glad that you are…" She was cut off as somebody barged through the door.

"So you all just left me in the ship," piped a familiar red head as he walked in. He was not exactly quiet either. "What is this, play a prank on Blank day or something? Let's leave so when he wakes up, nobody is there. You know I could have had a panic attack. Luckily I didn't…because I never have…but I could have."

"Oh shut it bro," said Zidane he folded his arms in front of him. "You were passed out asleep. That little trance took too much out of you."

"Still could have waked me up."

"Whatever…"

"Will you two shut up," bellowed Steiner, shaking his hand at them.

"He started it," said Zidane, pointing at Blank.

"Did not," replied his friend, slapping the finger away.

"Both of you please be quiet," came a small voice from the doorway.

They all looked to see Garnet stand, her hands on her hips. Her eyes pierced daggers into both of them. Behind her stood a short, stout man, his hands folded over his belly. He was dressed in a maroon coat with a matching top hat. He had a yellow beak for a mouth with very large spectacles resting atop of it. His name was Doctor Tot and he definitely looked like a doctor.

"Queen Garnet is right," said the Doctor, his voice light and unwavering. He adjusted his glasses with a push of his finger. "They need quiet now. It is an important ingredient in their recovery. Now if you do not mind, I am going to have to ask you all to leave the room. They need rest."

Doctor Tot strode over to the foot of the bed where the small dwarf lay. He was not particularly agile at his age and that showed. His steps were no more then a foot each. Slowly, he made his way over to where the genome lay, all the while making mental notes of each patients breathing, injuries, and other medical stats.

"I will not leave her," said Mikoto, her voice firm. A tear fell down her check where she quickly brushed it away.

Before the doctor could answer, Zidane placed his hand lightly on her shoulder. "It is okay, sis. You can trust Doctor Tot. He will not hurt her. He wants to help her."

Mikoto turned to look her brother in he eyes. He could see the sadness swelling within them. She was worried about the genome and did not want to leave her side. Zidane could not help but feel her pain.

"Trust me," he whispered, just loud enough so only she could hear. Mikoto nodded as another tear fell over her check. This time she did not wipe it away. Zidane gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze of reassurance as he led her out the door behind everyone else. She took one last look back before it closed behind them.

As soon as they got outside, both Beatrix and Garnet turned around to face the group. They both gave a look that asked the same question: What happened?

In as much detail as they could, the group relayed the events of their trip to Daguerreo and the events that took place there. Zidane then went into detail about the person stealing the airship, his suicidal attempt to thwart that person and the subsequent crash of the _Judgment_. Both women gasped as they were told about the fight with the Adamantoise and Blank's injury. Then came the news about Conde Petie and their fight with the mysterious Yendiga. Garnet placed a hand over her mouth, unable to comprehend what she was hearing. Conde Petie…destroyed. How could this happen? She thought the world was at peace.

"I cannot believe this has happened," she said, her eyes searching the air for answers.

"Who could do such a thing?" asked Beatrix, her voice hard and void of any emotion. After hearing about the destruction of the village, her military instinct took over. Her whole body stiffened and her eyes showed a depth of determination as if she had just been thrown into battle.

"We do not know," said Steiner. "Zidane thinks that it might be the same person that stole our airship."

"You do?" asked Garnet, giving the thief a puzzled look. "How do you know?"

"I don't know," he said, shaking his head. "I just have a feeling that they were connected. Why else would the airship be stolen on the same day that Conde Petie was burned to the ground? Something is going on…and we need to get to the bottom of it."

The rest agreed with the blonde, all shaking their heads or looks of acknowledgment.

"Well first thing is first," said Garnet. "I need to alert Uncle Cid and Freya. They must be informed about what has transpired." Ever since the end of their adventure to save Gaia, Garnet had made it her first and most important goal as queen of Alexandria to mend the severed ties that her kingdom had with both Lindblum and Burmecia. Once she accomplished that, she had always sought to keep them as allies and inform them with any information she received. They did the same.

"That is a good idea," said Zidane as he rubbed his chin with his hand. It was one of his little habits he had. "Meanwhile, Blank and I need to bring this part to Baku before he…" The blonde was cut off by an ear splitting scream followed by a loud crash.

"What the hell was that," said Blank.

"Alana…" said Mikoto, her voice full of worry.

Without hesitation, they burst through the door into the room they just left. They froze at the site the saw before them.

Strewn across the floor was a shattered bowl, the one for the warm water that was applied the two victim's foreheads. The side table that the bowl was on was also knocked over. But those were not the most interesting and disturbing points of the room.

On the far wall across from the beds, Doctor Tot was pinned against the wall by the blonde genome. She had a dagger at his throat with her other hand gripping a fist full of his coat. The doctor looked stunned, seemingly unable to talk or even moved. Zidane was glad he did nothing, fearing if he did then the genome might just see how sharp her blade really was.

As Zidane stared at the sight, Mikoto walked past him, her mouth open in shock.

"Alana!" she screamed, trying to get the young girls attention.

At the sound of her name being called, Alana spun her head around. As soon as she saw her sister, the fire in her eyes faded away. She loosened the grip she had on the doctor's coat, her fingers slowly unfolding. Her eyes slid from her sister to Zidane. Slowly her hand the held the dagger dropped down, the weapon falling to the floor. Her eyes grew wide as she took him in, her lips parting. "Brother…"

Zidane's whole body froze as she spoke the word. Brother? How could that be? Was it possible? His mind raced around trying to process that one word.

Blank came from behind and stood next to him. "Oh man, this is way too complicated for me," he said before turning around to walk back out the door.

* * *

**Yes…I hope you liked this chapter. Show me how much you liked it in reviews! I love your reviews…they keep me going and made updates come out faster. So review please I in return I will show you my appreciation.**


	13. Ch 12: Don't Leave Me Alone

**A/N: I would like to start off by saying that I am terribly sorry for the long hiatus but class and work have choked my life. I have finally gotten around to finishing this chapter because classes are settling down so hopefully I can update sooner. I apologies for the lack of action in this chapter but I will make up for that in the very near future. I did manage to throw in a small fight scene at the last minute so let me know how it was in your wondrous reviews.**

**As for the character slots, be patient because they are coming. I have not forgotten, just have not got to that part in the story yet.**

**Kuja: No, you forgot. Don't lie to your readers. It is very unbecoming of you.**

**Solark: What the hell are you doing here?**

**Kuja: Ummm, I was asked to do the disclaimer but seems to me that it is not needed.**

**Solark: What's that suppose to mean?**

**Kuja: Phh, well isn't it obvious?**

**Solark: No, not really…**

**Kuja: Your lame story isn't even worth the attention of Square-Enix. They won't even bother with it.**

**Solark: You know something…you're the devil!**

**Kuja: I can be.**

* * *

**Chapter 12:**

**Don't Leave Me Alone**

"Brother…" repeated Zidane as he looked into the eyes of the young girl. It was not like he had not been called that before. His brothers from Tantalus called him that all the time. Even Mikoto was starting to use the term with him, becoming more and more comfortable each time. But she had a reason to call him that. She, like him, was given a soul. She had the ability to do more and think more then the other genomes. Like him, she was special and created for the same purpose as he was. They were not biological siblings, but the fact that they were so similar in so many ways sort of made up for that important detail.

No, Mikoto had a soul like him so she had feelings and could understand things the way that he did. The other genomes did not have that ability. So why was this young genome calling him 'brother'?

Zidane though to himself for a moment as he scratched his chin. Then as if he had been hit with a rock, he staggered back, his eyes wide. Could it be? Was it even possible? His mind raced with the possibility of what she was but his mouth just voiced it out. "She…she has a soul," he said in a whisper, forcing a swallow. The words were more a realization then anything.

Mikoto ran over to Alana, embracing with a hug that was returned with the same affection. Zidane could tell their relationship stemmed far beyond that of the other genomes.

"We need to talk," said Mikoto, turning around to face her brother.

"Your damn right we do," he said, folding his arms in front of his chest. While he was glad that Alana was okay, he was more upset that Mikoto had kept her identity a secret from him.

Why would she do that?

They were brother and sister.

And so was Alana.

"Can we go somewhere to talk…I don't want to disturb the young child here." Her eyes darted to the dwarf for just a second, just long enough to get her point across.

"We can go to the dining room," said Steiner.

"No we cannot," said Garnet, remembering that Nathan was in there. "How about we go to the library? Come, I will lead the way."

Mikoto did not move from her spot. She gave a glance to Zidane. He read the message in her eyes and sighed.

"I will tell them anyway so they might as well come," he said trying to reassure her. "You can trust them. They are our friends. You know that."

Mikoto's eyes scanned them all, still not moving. Then slowly, her brother's words seemed to convince her otherwise and she made her way out the door with the others. As Garnet led them to the library, Zidane watched as Mikoto walked along side their sister. He could sense the closeness of their relationship and anger built up inside of him. The anger was more of confusion with not understanding why she never told him about Alana. Did he not have the right to know about her? Surely he had show that he was worthy of their trust, that he would not do them harm like their late brother did. Had he not shown that he cared? All these questions came flooding into his mind. He did not understand the secrecy behind keeping her identity away from him.

The group finally arrived at the library. The room was small but not due to lack of overall area. Most of the library's floor was taken up by stack upon stacks of books, all archived in rows of shelves. The library was the second largest to only the old one in Daguerreo and the fact that it held such a large quantity of written text was the main reason behind the lack of open floor space. The tight quarters of the library made the room feel small, despite its true size. The group moved over to an area with large leather chairs and tables, ideal for reading or researching. They all took seats, trying to get comfortable. Zidane did not sit, he was too anxious. He stood across from where Mikoto had taken a seat.

"Well where to start," said Mikoto as she rubbed her knees with her hands. "As you probably are well aware, Alana is just like Zidane and I. But not in the most obvious way, such as we are all genomes. Our similarities go much deeper then that."

"Like w-what," piped Gene from her chair.

Zidane knew what was coming. Still, he was not prepared for what was about to be said. He kept his gaze on Mikoto as she spoke the words, hoping that watching her would somehow take away the shock.

"Like Zidane and I, she was given a soul," said Mikoto.

"Did not Kuja have a soul as well?" asked Beatrix.

Mikoto nodded in response, her eyes locked on the floor in front of her. There was something she was holding back. He could see it in her eyes. He sensed she did not want to talk about it in front of a certain person.

"Alana," he said turning to the young genome. "You must be hungry. Doctor Tot can show you where to get something to eat." Alana nodded her head ever so slightly. He could tell that her posture heightened at the thought of food. She looked completely exhausted, even though her earlier outburst argued otherwise.

"But…" muttered Doctor Tot, not wanting to leave the group. His scientific side had taken over, wanting to know more about Zidane's race. Zidane gave him a side glance, telling him without words that he would relay all the information to him later. The doctor sighed and turned to Alana. "This way, my dear. We have a very wide assortment of food. I am sure you will find something that you will like."

Alana followed the good doctor out of the library, not even looking back at the group. Once they were gone and the door closed, Zidane turned his attention back to his remaining sister sitting before him.

As if on cue, she continued. "All four of us had souls. Kuja, Zidane, Alana, and me. We were the only ones given souls. No other genome had one."

"Why just us four? Why were we so special?" asked Zidane, still not understanding what was going on. He had never understood his existence, ever since Garland told him what he really was.

"We were not special," said Mikoto, taking a glance at her brother. "Our bodies were just mere vessels like the other genomes. We had no minds, no thoughts of our own. We did not become who we are now until we were given a soul. Garland chose our empty vessels to be hosts to the souls he created. Each one was made for a different purpose. Each to do his bidding."

"To help wreck havoc on Gaia, causing an increase in the flow of souls through the Iifa Tree which would aid in Terra's assimilation of this planet," said Zidane, trying to predict where Mikoto's explanation was going.

"To an extent, but not all of us were created for that purpose," she said plainly.

"What do you mean?" asked Zidane, tilting his head in curiosity. His arms unfolded in front of him unconsciously as his mind became drunk in the conversation.

Mikoto sighed and stood up from her seat. "Both you and Kuja were created to substantiate the level of anger and hatred on Gaia, causing war and death which would feet souls to the Iifa Tree through the use of the mist. As you were well aware, you were created as a replacement to Kuja due to the fact that Kuja had grown too independent. That independence caused him to dispose of you on Gaia, the world he was set on destroying. I seemed that independence that Kuja possessed continued on to you. Garland watched you from Terra as you grew and matured. He knew where you were and even tried to connect with you, trying to influence you towards your purpose. His attempts were in vain. They only sent you away from your home in search of a blue light only to return to where you started. Nothing he did would work with you."

"Okay, enough about me," said Zidane, not wanting to here an elaborate telling of his past on Gaia. There were other pressing matters on his mind, and he wanted answers. "We know why me and Kuja were created and given souls, but what about you and Alana?"

Mikoto closed her eyes, her body slowly falling back into the chair behind her. She opened her eyes, her pupils taking a second to adjust from the short darkness of the back of her eyelids. "Alana and I were created for a different reason."

"What was that reason?"

"I was created as a guardian. That was my sole purpose."

Zidane shook his head in disbelief. Leather and metal creaked as Steiner shifted in his seat. Nothing he did was quiet. Zidane did not let the noise bother him. "What were you a guardian of?"

The young female genome just sat there unmoving. Seconds went by that felt like minutes as she stared at the floor before her. Nothing she could do would stop what was about to happen. He had a right to know and she had a right to tell him. She gathered her thoughts, taking time to find the right words. "My purpose was to stay on Terra and serve as caretaker and guardian of a specific genome to whom Garland prized the most. This genome was special, more important to him then you or I. He kept them in the incubation tank for much longer then the other genomes. My mission was to maintain and guard the tank until the incubation period was over. From there I would protect and guard the genome where ever they went."

"And was this…tank…destroyed when Kuja obliterated Terra?" Zidane's question seemed to echo through the air.

"No," said Mikoto flatly. "I released the genome while you were fighting Kuja. The genome is Alana. She is the one whom I am assigned to guard and protect."

Zidane felt his heart skip a beat. He turned around and looked at the closed doorway in which Doctor Tot had led his newfound sister out of. His sister, who was more important to his race then even he. His sister who was very…special to Garland and his master plan. Why was she so special? What was her purpose? He continued to stare at the doorway, lost in his own thoughts.

"Alana…why is she so special?" he finally asked softly, not even peeling his eyes away from the closed door.

Mikoto came up to stand next to him. "Because she is our past…and our future."

* * *

An airship passed by over head, a typical site with the city of Lindblum. The airship made for the docks, which were located on the side of the largest building inside the enormous city. Lindblum was by far the biggest kingdom on all of Gaia with her castle alone rivaling in size with most other countries entire city confines. The castle was grand which ironically part of its name was. The structure if the castle soared above everything else in the city, encompassing nearly fifty stories. The docks lay near the middle of the castle, taking up almost ten stories themselves. The castle was a marvel of technology, both in size and in accommodations.

As the airship continued on towards the docks, it cast a shadow over a section of the castle below where a young girl stood. The girl looked up at the airship for a second, her eyes showing no excitement at the sight of such a large object floating above her. She was accustomed to seeing them soaring through the air on a daily basis. It brought her no more enjoyment than a delicious gyhsal pickle. She shuttered at the thought.

As she brought her hand up to her head, Lady Eiko Carol brushed stray strands of her purple locks out of her violet colored eyes. She was wearing her usual outfit, one that her mother had made for her before she died. The fabric was of a rare silk found only near her home village of Madain Sari and hand dyed to a brilliant pink and very tight. She also wore an outer layer that was a two piece and also made of silk with the upper part a darker pink blouse and the second part being yellow overalls that ran from two straps over her shoulders all the way down to her black shoes.

While her clothes were different, they were not the most alarming thing about her. She also displayed a small two inches sharp horn on her forehead that parted its way through her now mid-back length, layered and wavy purple hair. The horn was a symbol of her heritage, the heritage of the summoner. She was proud of her past and never shied away from conversation that led her to explain any part of her heritage. She was a free spirit and the last of her kind…save for one.

Eiko twisted her flute she had in her hand. The weapon was an Angel's Flute, made of aged hundred year old wood from the center of a Derk Tree and crafted at the hands of angels themselves. The flute was her favorite because of the weapons extremely light weight and extraordinary sound. It was only sixteen inches long but carried with it the voices of a thousand angels.

She flicked the flute so the tip touched the small of her cheek. "You ready Ammie?"

"I told you never to call me that," came the reply from across the opening courtyard where she was standing. The voice came from a large man, his skin a near transparent light blue with muscular sleeveless arms covered in tattoos ranging from the basic lettering to the extremely complex tribal designs. He wore a green muscle shirt that was more of a vest then anything else with a pair of loose brown pants topped off with some black boots. His head was covered with a thick, chaotic mane of red dreadlocks that poured onto his shoulder and around his square and muscular face. A matching red beard wrapped around his chin from ear to ear, forming a circle around the scowl that was always present on his mouth. His most notable feature was the deadly claw that was attached to his hand. The claw was his weapon of choice and he used them very effectively. He is a known ex-bounty hunter, respected by some and feared by others but known to all as the Flaming Amarant Coral. He was a ruthless mercenary that showed no mercy, that was until be met the priceless Ms. Carol he was standing in front of at this very moment. Although he would never admit the fact, he did not mind the little brat and though of he as her guardian and protector, even though with her summoning power she really did not need one.

Still…

"Aww, what's wrong Ammie," teased Eiko from her spot twenty feet away. "What are you gunna do about it?"

"This," replied Amarant as he began conjuring a spell in his claw laden hand. Slowly a small orb of dark purple and black energy sparked and popped in the palm of his hand. As the power of the spell built, he whipped his arm that was carrying the magic behind himself in preparation to throw. By the time he pulled his arm back they spell was ready and with all his might, he threw the attack at the small girl.

"_No Mercy!"_

As the spell flew toward Eiko with blinding speed, the young summoner brought her flute to her lips. She blew a series of notes into the weapon that only she could here…well not only just her. With a flash of light, a bright blue form dropped out of the sky and landed straight in front of her. A large bushy tail flickered back and forth as a white light expanded from the creature's body, covering both them and Eiko as well. As the light expanded, the No Mercy spell contacted the outer shell of the protective barrier. The attack spell exploded with extreme brute force, pulling inward towards an imaginary center before finally exploding outward. As the spell disappeared and evaporated into the air. Eiko peered through the slowly dissipating remnants of the spell with a smile. An excited laugh escaped her lips as she gripped the flute behind her back with both her hands.

"Damn rodent," grumbled Amarant as he undid the straps on his claw. He removed the weapon from his hand and secured it to a belt around his waist. He grumbled some incoherent words to himself, making sure that no body around him heard. That was the way he liked.

"Come on Ammie," teased Eiko as she made a posture with her hands on her hips and her nose up. While she was a very mature fighter and person in some ways, she was still a child and did act like one sometimes. Amarant always kept that in mind. "If you can't beat Carbuncle then how will you last in the Royal Alexandrian Tournament?"

He harrumphed in response. She was right of course. How was he, the great Flaming Amarant Coral going to last in the most famous and challenging tournament on Gaia if he could not even beat a glowing rat, let alone out wit a small child. He was doomed but he would not admit defeat. He would find a way. He always did.

"Eiko!" came a voice from behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see the adoptive mother of the young summoner and wife of the Regent of Lindblum, Lady Hilda Fabool. The female royalty of Lindblum, who was cherished and adored by her people, wore a very elegant yet not too flamboyant red dress with matching garnet jewelry on her ears and neck. Her long blonde hair was wrapped up on a spiral above her head, hidden behind light pink veil netting adorned with jewels that encircled the small yellow gold tiara that was anything but ordinary. Her face was of considerable beauty with the smallest hint of wisdom, yet her features did nothing to give away her true age. She looked much younger then she really was and for that she felt she was blessed. She was not entirely fond of her age but with age came a better view on life and how precious it really was to be alive and healthy. For that she was very grateful.

"Eiko!" she said again as she made her way past the muscular form of Amarant to her adoptive daughter. "I have some…terrible news."

Eiko blinked at her with her usual curious eyes, the deep violet almost pulsing with a mixture of excitement and longing for knowledge. "What is it Mother?" she said with her usual level of exuberance. The shear volume of energy that she possessed was astonishing. It was a wonder that her body could even tame down enough to enter the realm of sleep like everybody else.

Hilda looked at her adopted daughter, a daughter that was not hers but love as if she was her own. Even though she did not birth Eiko, her natural motherly instinct felt a great attachment to the young girl. Such feelings were unexplainable to the human mind but were clearly evident in nature. How she could love something that was not hers so much, she did not know. What she did know was that she would now go to the ends of the earth for this small child that stood in front of her. Such emotions were not voluntary but were just there, present and overwhelming. She could not view her life without Eiko and she dared not think of what would have happened had she not ever met the young summoner.

Now she was faced with telling her the terrible news she had just received from her husband Cid. Even she could not even imagine the horror of what he had told her, it was heart wrenching and indescribable. How was she going to explain what she had just heard to Eiko, a young eccentric little girl who while she was still a child knew more at her age then one would think. Not only that but the fact that this terrible news would hit a little close to home for the young girl would make it all the harder. Hilda knew how she reacted when Cid told her only moments ago. She could not even imagine how Eiko would take the news. Still she had to know, keeping it from her would only be worse in the long run.

Hilda swallowed her emotions and looked at her daughter. "Something terrible has happened at Conde Petie?"

At her words Eiko's eyes went wide as she took a stagger back. She did not want to know what had happened but she felt she needed to. Condie Petie was the home of the dwarves and while then were not very fond of her because she would always steal food from them, she had a certain level of respect for there lifestyle and customs. They were an honorable people, always helping each other and doing the right thing. But one thing concerned and scared her more then her fear for what happen to the dwarves. Her old home was very close to Conde Petie just across the Mountain Path.

The ancient summoner's village of Madain Sari.

"What happened?" she asked in a small voice.

"The village was attacked by a monster," said Hilda, almost talking in a whisper. "Zidane was flying back from Daguerreo when he got a vision. They made their way to Conde Petie only to see it burning. They landed and defeated the monster but the village was destroyed. Only one dwarf survived, a small child. They brought the child back to Alexandria. Cid is preparing to leave at once; Garnet has requested that we be informed by Zidane of everything that transpired so we can make a decision as to what to do next. I would as you to come along but Cid wants you to stay here."

"But I want to come," Eiko said in so low of a tone that Hilda could barely make out what she said. She could not even begin to think of the thoughts running through the young girls head. She did not want to leave her but Cid has insisted that it was for the best.

"I am sorry my dear," Hilda said sympathetically. She gathered her daughter in an embrace, trying to reassure her. Eiko did not return the action but she did not pull away either. She just stood where she was as still as stone. "We will be back soon and I will tell you everything. Please listen to Minister Artania while we are gone, okay dear."

Eiko gazed at her adoptive mother, her deep violet eyes seeking desperately to convince the woman to take her along. She knew the effort was in vain as the decision was already made by her father and there was no overriding his decisions. Even though see could understand the concern for her safety she still wanted to go with them. Not because she was interested in the knowing what had happened even though she was but more importantly, she did not want to be left alone. True Minister Artania would be staying and you indeed watch over her and she did find the man interesting but it would not be the same. Her adoptive parents Cid and Hilda were the ones that opened up their lives for her and she felt a certain level of attachment to them. That and the fact that after her biological grandfather died back in Madain Sari, she was left alone to fend for herself with nothing but the company of her moogle friends. She had not had human contact for over a year until 'he' came and she did not want to lose that contact not, not even for a second.

Reluctantly she nodded her head in acceptance. Hilda gave Eiko a small smile of reassurance. She bent down and gave the young girl a soft kiss on the forehead.

"We will be back soon, okay dear?"

"Yes," whispered Eiko as she continued to stand where she was, still hoping against hope that her parents would change their mind but the idea of that was not to be.

She watched as Hilda left the area, her mind racing with emotions that just wanted to burst out of her that very moment. Once she was sure her mother was far enough away she could not hold them in any longer.

"DAMN IT!" she yelled but not loud enough so that Hlda might hear and come back. "I can't just stay here and wait. What do they think I am…a dog?" Aggravation had sent her mind into a raging fit.

How could she just stay here and wait? Waiting was going to kill her. She wanted to know what was going on and she wanted to know now. She still could not believe that Conde Petie was destroyed. The small dwarf village that she had stolen food from to survive was gone along with all its inhabitants, save for one. She suddenly felt very guilty for what she did. While the though of that villages fate was dreadful enough, her mind kept going back to her old home…Madain Sari. Were her friends, the moogles, okay? They could be in danger or worse. True Hilda said that Zidane and company killed the monster that destroyed Conde Petie but maybe there were more. Maybe that thing was just a minion of a greater scheme as her experience with Zidane and her friends had shown her. If that was the case then whatever attacked Conde Petie could very well go after Maidan Sari. Everything could be destroyed...the moogles, the eidolon wall…everything. She could not bear for that to happen.

Before she knew what was happening she was moving. She ran through the doors and into the confines of the castle. She needed to hurry, time was everything now. She made her way down the red carpeted winding staircase that seemed to go on forever, paying no mind to anybody she saw even if she blindly bumped into them.

She came to a four way hall intersection and immediately cut to the left. She had to hurry, that was all she though. Her hand brushed the cold steel of a gate as she quickly opened the restriction and entered the main elevator of the palace. She smashed the button with the downward symbol near the label for the middle floor one, two, three times and kept hitting the button until the elevator started moving. She only needed to hit it once but she did not care. All she cared about was hurrying.

As the elevator slowed to a stop, Eiko opened the door and ran off the device. The alarm on the elevator sounded signaling that the gate had been open before the elevator came to a complete and safe stop. She did not care, she could not stop now. Now was the time for her to hurry. Her friend's lives could be in the balance. She must not hesitate. Zidane had taught her that.

She rushed past the elite guards that were stationed at the elevator entrance. They knew not to pay her any mind and this time was no different. She dumped down the three stairs all at once. As she landed on the marble floor her flute fell out of her belt and clattered to the floor. Anger swelled inside of her at her stupidity. She did not secure the weapon properly like she should have. But she could not stop, she needed to hurry. Plus she had more flutes and somebody in the palace would find the weapon and put it in her room. They knew better then not to because she always knew where her weapons were. She could feel them, feel their power.

She continued past the magnificent water foundation in the palace lobby and through the grand hallway that led to the airship docks. Surprisingly there were no guards on post anywhere in site. _Lucky her_, she thought to herself as she made her way to a strip of dock that housed a fleet of new sleek looking airships that her father built using the technology he studied from the _Invincible_. They required no mist or steam to run. They were entirely independent on any recharge of fuel save for one, magic. She did not know how they worked and nor did she care. She never listened to Cid as he babbled on and on about them. The things he talked about never interested her. They were to boring.

The airship was pretty though, at least she thought it was. The main hull was in the shape of a sharp arrow point making for better aerodynamics when flying. She did not know what aerodynamics was but she thought the shape was nice. That, and the fact that the airship was dressed in the crimson of Lindblum with black accents all around. The airship looked like a sleeker, smaller version of the _Invincible_ which she liked. Her father called them _Sentinels_ but she liked to call them _Darts_. She liked that name even though it did sound a bit lame but she did not care.

Upon reaching the hatchway into the airship, which was a lot bigger up close, she stopped to look around and double check if anybody was watching. Nobody was so she opened the door to the 65 foot long airship she dubbed the _Dart_. She closed the hatch behind her, not even buying the time to lock it.

The interior of the airship was state of the art. Nor longer was there any wood to be found. Her father had patented a way to produce a lighter form of mythril that was ten times stronger. She never could remember the name he gave the material because she never really cared too much. The entire interior was made of the stuff thought from the walls right down to the frame.

She took a left from the door way and down a small hallway where doors on either side hid crew quarters and such. They were all dressed with the very best commodities that Lindblum could offer. Comfortable beds with ample entertainment for down time and food, the rooms were stocked. If the crews were happy then they worked happy. If they worked happy that means they worked better. That was her father's motto, to an extent. At the end of the hallway she finally came to the cockpit. She sat down in the pilot's chair and lipped a switch that started charging the airship's power source. She did not know what the source was but she knew how to turn it on. Her father had taught her how to operate the Dart and even gave her lessons in how to fly the airship. She was glad now that she had at least paid attention to those lessons.

She reached her hand over to the center of the console and placed her hand on a glowing red orb. The airship started with a low resonating hum that was exponentially quieter then the mist or steam power airships. She buckled herself into the pilot seat and placed her hands on the yoke and throttle. Just as she was about to take off she paused.

Over the faint drone of the engine she could have sworn she heard a noise as if the hatchway had been closed. She turned around in her seat to look over her right shoulder and down the hallway. Nobody was there.

"Hello?" she called, her voice echoing within the airship's light fame. There was no answer. Perhaps she was just imagining the sound. After all she was a bit on edge due to the fact that she was taking one of her father's prized airships and leaving without permission. But she needed to, she needed to hurry.

She turned back around and pulled back on the throttle. The airship flowed out of the dock with the ease of a snake through water. She grabbed a hold of the yoke and gave the put the throttle at eighty-seven percent. She needed to hurry.

Madain Sari could be in danger.

She had to protect her friends.

* * *

**Thanks for reading the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it because it took me long enough. The next chapter will have more action….maybe. But the plot is thickening and we haven't even scratched the surface yet. Just you all wait! Well you all know what to do. Read and review and spread the word!!!!!!!**

**Special thanks to Krimson, superloser, Newthatgotbetter, Phoenix Helix, roxas and my two new readers, Dagger Tribal and dylan928 (my girlfriends dad has a 928 porcshe)! You guys make me write faster!!!!**


	14. Ch 13: A Coming of Age

**Author's Notes: I am extremely sorry for the huge delay in updating this story. School and work had delayed my writing but once I finally wrote and finished the chapter, I got a PS3 so I kept putting off the update. That will not happen again.**

**Now on a lighter note, I would like to personally thank Ravyn for basically marketing my story out to the masses. As you can see from the amount of reviews I have now, she was very helpful. If any of you have not read her story OMWF you must…it is the best fanfiction out there, bar none! Ask me for the link if you are interested and have not read it yet.**

**Also if any of you like to RPG for FFIX or are looking for a good RPG forum, let me know in your review and I will give you the link to the forum. It is a great site and very well organized.**

**Disclaimer: **

**Solark: I don't own FFIX or any associated with it. There, I said it. You happy now? **

**SE Lawyer: Yes.**

**Solark: I still own my own stuff…right?**

**SE Lawyer: ………**

* * *

**Chapter 13:**  
A **Coming of Age**

Zidane ran his fingers through his blonde hair, stopping near the back of his head to scratch his scalp. He did not have an itch though; the posture was just something that he adopted when he became lost in thought. And he had plenty to think of now as everybody was staring at him, almost as if they were waiting on some sort of miraculous spout of information to come out of him like an answer to what they had just heard. He had just finished telling everybody about everything that happened during their trip, from the stealing of their airship to the destruction of Conde Petie. He really did not want to go through the details again but Dagger personally requested that he tell her uncle and aunt in person.  
She had sent a telegram to them directly after their group meeting in the library via mognet. Regent Cid, her uncle, and his wife Hilda had arrived about three hours later. The whole process was remarkably fast which was probably easily explained when Cid arrived. He had brought his new prized airship modeled off of the Invincible. He called the airship Oblivion and the name fit perfectly. The ship was as dark as the darkest night and looked all the more ominous by how quiet and sleek it was. Plus Cid continually bragged about how deadly the Oblivion was, using the same laser technology found on the parent ship, Invincible. The man really never did grow up nor would he ever.  
Zidane stopped scratching his head and allowed his arm to fall to his side in a controlled manner. The entire dining room was silent as everybody seemed lost in thought. He looked around the table at the people present around him. He was sitting at the head of the long table with Dagger to his left and Gene next to her. Steiner, Beatrix and a man he had never seen before but was told was a friend of Beatrix rounded out that side of the table. To his right sat Alana then Mikoto, Blank, Bodan and Hilda. Regent Cid sat at the opposite end of the table from him. Doctor Tot was sitting in a chair near Cid but not actually at the table. The regent had both his elbows on the table with his head in his hand. Everybody else had the same solemn look about them as the regent did. Well everybody but one.  
Beatrix's guest sat in his seat with his back perfectly straight. His face showed no emotion, not even the slightest. He stared out over the table, his deep blue eyes focused on nothing. Zidane did not know why but he felt a strange feeling move up his spine and flow through his body. The feeling almost matched the strange feeling he had that night in Burmecia when he first saw his brother, Kuja.  
He snapped himself out of his thoughts and cleared his mind of the matter. The feeling was nothing and his thoughts were silly. This was a friend of Beatrix and he would not think negatively about them. Everybody had the right to an equal opportunity to prove themselves without judgmental statements tainting their image in advance.  
A small noise caught him off guard. He looked to his left to his Dagger, the Queen of Alexandria, sit up. Her chair scrapped on the marble floor as she pushed it out from under her.  
"What should we do now?" she said in a very controlled voice. He was still amazed had how mature and even tempered she was for a queen her age. She truly was something.  
"What is there to do?" said the Regent from across the table. He was talking into his hands which accounted for the muffled tone of his voice. With now all or most of the eyes in the room upon him, the regent lifted his face out of the cradle of his palms. His face was as drain but there was a certain strength hidden inside.  
"I do not understand?" asked Dagger with obvious confusion.  
"Well to start," he said clearing his throat as he spoke. "We do not even know who is responsible for this attack or if there was even any one people who are responsible. For all we know the attack could have been a random act by that demon Zidane and they killed. We cannot throw the blame around without any evidence to back up our claims."  
"But Zidane told us the monster said 'he was only but a tool' in the attack. That the whole plan was not his and…"  
"And you trust the words of this demon monster!" bellowed Cid as he shot up in his chair. His words echoed throughout the dining room and probably the entire castle. The silence that followed left the air completely empty. The regent stared at his niece with a mixture of anger and sympathy. "That thing destroyed a city. It slaughtered hundreds of innocent people. How can words from something so malevolent be trusted?"  
Garnet could not even speak. She had never seen her uncle so upset to the point that he lashed out. Her tongue twisted against her brain as she tried to fight the urge to fight back. All she could do was look down at her hands. What type of queen was she if she could not even fight for a cause she believed was right?  
As if Cid could sense her inner thoughts, the instant flash of malcontent he possessed earlier was gone from his eyes as he gazed at his niece.  
"Garnet my dear, you know how much I care for you. I am sorry to lash out at you but you must understand things like this. We cannot start pointing fingers at anybody until we have more information on the matter. Doing so will only cause insult to anybody we hastily blame. Do you understand, my dear?"  
"Yes uncle," Garnet managed to breathe out as she nodded her head. She stole a glance at Zidane next to her, half expecting him to take her side. Instead he just sat there saying nothing. While his silence somewhat angered her, she understood his position. Her uncle was right of course.  
She sank back into her chair, ashamed of the position she had taken. While her decision was not made with any sort of evil intention, it was however done so with prior thought to any sort of consequence. She felt embarrassed by her choice. As the queen of an entire country she should have known better.  
A light sensation alerted her body from her state of isolation. She looked down to see Zidane's hand slightly touching her knee. She turned her attention to his eyes and was welcomed by the deep turquoise looked back at her. He ever so casually blinks and gave a faint nod of his head. That was all she needed from him. Just that simple reassurance that he understood her intentions gave her the warmest feeling. She loved that part of him.  
"Well, something needs to be done," said Zidane as he shifted in his chair, the tip of his tail flicking back and forth behind him. "We must post guards in the surrounding towns near Conde Petie. The Black Mage Village must be protected…as well as Madain Sari."  
The last part was said with a glance her way. She could not help but smile at the notion. He felt very strongly about protecting the Black Mage Village due to the genomes living there but he had no ties to Madain Sari…except her. A rush of appreciation swelled up within her.  
"I see no reason to post any guards," the regent said as he sat back down. "You and your friends defeated the threat."  
Zidane's glare hardened as he looked at Cid. "You see no reason, huh?" he began questioningly.  
"I truly do n-"  
"Well I do!" shot the blonde, completely interrupting the regent in mid sentence. "Those places over there have no defenses, no army like Lindblum or Alexandria. Not only that but they are also your allies and by that right alone should invoke some sort of protection and support.  
"If you even intend on keeping them as your allies or keeping the allies and friends you have now that may have ties to those towns then I suggest you rethink your position on the matter. I have told you my feelings on what had transpired at Conde Petie and the connection I felt between that attack and what happened on the Forgotten Continent. I know what I saw and I know what I heard. I have told you everything I know. Now you must act on that information, whether you believe me or not."  
With his last words still sinking into everybody's mind, Zidane slowly stood up from his chair and exited the dining room without another sound. Nobody talked for a while as the weight of what he said sunk in. Regent Cid was sitting down with his elbows on the table and his chin resting on his folded hands.  
"Somebody is cranky," mumbled Blank as he shifted in his chair.  
"No," said the voice of the regent as he lifted his head off the resting spot his hands were making. "The boy is right. We cannot assume that this was just an isolated attack. We must take the words of that monster seriously until we know more information about what happened or is happening."  
"So you will send guard posts to both the Black Mage Village and Madain Sari?" asked Garnet in a hopeful voice.  
"I believe that is a wise choice. We shall send a mixture of both Lindblum and Alexandrian troops to keep an eye on those surrounding establishments"

"Thank you, Uncle."  
Garnet rose from her seat and straightened out her blouse.  
"If you all will excuse me I think I will go check on Zidane," she said as she made her way out of the dining room through the same door that he left from not minutes before.  
"Hey Rusty?" whispered Blank, afraid to intrude on the perpetual silence that filled the air. When the big knight did not answer, Blank did not give up. "Pssssst, Rusty?"  
Steiner finally snapped his head towards the red-headed thief and met him with a scowl. Probably more at being called 'Rusty' then the rude interruption but Blank did not care; he was on a mission.  
"You going to eat that?" he asked point at the knight's plate.  
Steiner looked confused as he looked down and then back up again. He gave a slight shake of the head and wrinkle of the brow begging the question, what are you talking about?  
Blank sighed. "Your roll, smarty pants."  
"Oh, you want this?" said Steiner as he picked up the roll with his thick fingered hand.  
"Yea, that's it. Now toss…"  
Before Blank could even finish his sentence, Steiner took a huge bite out of the warm beard, nearly cutting the roll in half.  
"Mmm, delicious. Would you like the other half?" he taunted as he finished swallowing his bite.  
"You're an ass," mumble Blank as he slouched back into his chair. He would get the knight back, oh yes he would.

* * *

Garnet made her way to the training area outside of the castle. She had learned from a guard that Zidane went this way and she was sure that was where he went. Outside the night was crisp and clean. The air was so clear she could see every star in the sky and even make out her favorite constellation, Bahamut. She could remember looking up at that cluster of stars all the time when she was out on her travels.  
As soon as she approached the training area, he heard a sound she knew all too familiar. The training area was just a large square room on the back side of the castle. The room was made of the same stone as the castle and had a roof but was open on the side walls save for some pillars for support. This design was probably made to help air the area out so the room did not become to hot, or smelly.  
Zidane was near the middle of the room, inside a center square pit that had a white sand floor. He had his daggers out and was practicing his weapon combat skills against one of the various attack dummies they had set up around the room.  
Garnet watched as Zidane assumed his attack stance before the dummy. With perfected, flawless motions he spun around quickly cutting his target with a backhand swing from one dagger while instantly finishing the attack with a slice from the other. All that happened within the blink of an eye.  
Just as he was about to perform another attack on the dummy, Garnet flicked her fingers towards his target. She could not help but giggle as his daggers bounced back with a flash of blue light from the protect spell she cast on his target.  
"Very funny, Dagger," he said without even looking to see who it was.  
"I thought it was," replied Garnet, still giggling softly.  
Her mood turned more serious as she made her way towards him. "I appreciate what you did back there. Saying we needed to protect Madain Sari as well as the Black Mage Village…that means a lot."  
"…"  
"Why did you do that?"  
"I don't need a reason."  
"True…but you still did and that counts for something, right?" She stopped walking towards him once she was within two feet of his turned back.  
"I guess," he shrugged.  
She took another step towards him; a small one at that. "Uncle Cid took to heart what you said. He agreed to help and send guards to both villages as well."  
Zidane turned around to meet her eyes, a look of slight shock on his face. Or was it something else entirely, she could not tell.  
"He did?" he said questioningly.  
"Mhm, I guess you are a pretty good speaker."  
"Really, you think?"  
"I know. He even said that you were 'right in what you said'."  
"Wow," said Zidane, a bit taken back. The regent said he was right. Now that was something. He could not help but flinch his tale ever so slightly as he though about it.  
"Perhaps we should head back," said Garnet. "They are talking about the Royal Alexandrian Tournament that's coming up."  
"Ha, the RAT Race,' he joked as he assumed his fighting stance in a sarcastic manner.  
"Stop calling it that," said Garnet placing her fists on her hips. "Plus you plan on entering."  
"I know but it's still funny."  
"No its not!"  
"Yeah-huh!"  
"NO!"  
"I wonder if Freya will participate. Then we could really call it the RAT Ra-"  
"ZIDANE!" yelled Garnet as she slapped him hard in the shoulder. She could not believe he even said what he just did.  
"Okay, okay," he said as he put his hands up in a defensive posture. "I was only kidding, Dagger.'  
"Not funny!"  
"I guess not…"  
"Are you coming?" she asked even though now she did not care if he did.  
"One second," he paused as he rubbed the shoulder where she it him. He was obviously playing that one because she knew she could not hit him hard enough to hurt him. "Who is the guy that Beatrix knows?"  
"Who, Nathan?" questioned Garnet as her aggravation subsided. Smacking him on the shoulder always helped tame her anger with him. "He is her cousin that has come to visit."  
"Oh," said Zidane, satisfied with the answer.  
"I also have allowed him to stay in the castle during his visit."  
"Ohhh," he said a little more interested. His gazed pierced into her like a knife through butter.  
"Hehe," giggled Garnet. "Don't worry. He's harmless. I told him I would never have any friend or relative of my friends staying anywhere else but in the castle."  
"Well aren't you just the sweetest thing," he taunted with a flick of his wrist downward, almost too well.  
"Maybe…" she teased before walking towards the exit to the training area. "Maybe not..." she added without looking back at him.  
Zidane sighed as he dropped his arms to his sides and followed her back to the castle. Why was it always like this?

* * *

"S-so there are no monsters at all?" asked Gene still confused. Everybody at the table was trying to explain to her that the Royal Alexandrian Tournament was not the same event that her father had participated in. "If this is like the Festival of the Hunt then there must be monsters. Father said he had to fight monsters during the festival."  
"I know Gene," assured the Regent as he wiped his mouth clean of any lingering food with a towel from his lap. The group finally decided to eat and converse while Zidane and Garnet were gone. "Vivi, or rather your father was right about the festival. There are monsters that you fight during that tournament but not this one. When Blank said that the two tournaments were similar he did not mean it in that way."  
"Yea, Gene," said Blank with a mouth full of food. He really did not have any table manners what so ever. "I just meant that the tournaments were similar in that there will be a lot of fighting going on. You know?"  
"U-um, sure," answered Gene, whom was still a little unsure about what they were saying. "S-so instead of fighting m-monsters, you fight each other?"  
"Exactly," replied the regent, happy that the little mage finally understood.  
"Then if you f-fight each other, w-wouldn't people get hurt?"  
"Well," inserted Beatrix as she put her fork on her plate. "The tournament is non-lethal but that does not mean people do not get hurt. Injuries are unavoidable when you are dealing with powerful magic and weapons to aid great skill. Combatants that enter know the risks and know they will get hurt."  
"But not to worry," she added when she saw Gene's yellow eyes grow wide. "Nobody has ever died but some have come close. Matches are called by judges when they feel somebody has won before lethal damage is ever done. It is a safety precaution. Like I said, this is a non-lethal tournament. Once the battle is over, the two combatants are immediately healed so they are as good as new…most of the time."  
"S-sounds scary," whispered Gene. "I never want to go in that tournament."  
"Not to worry, my dear," reassured Beatrix. "Nobody under the age of eighteen is allowed to register."  
"What?!" coughed Blank as he nearly choked on some food he had in his mouth. "Eighteen! He said his is like seventeen years old. At least I think he his seventeen. He never really told us his real birthday. How could Zidane be in the tournament if he is not eighteen?"

"I…I do not know," answered Beatrix as she looked at him with a puzzled stare. "Are you sure he is really participating?"  
"He told me himself."  
"I see. Well if he is not eighteen then I do not see how he can enter the tournament. The rules state the player must be at least eighteen."  
"Rules," came a laugh from near the doorway to the dining room. They all turned to see Zidane coming back in with Garnet right behind him. "You know better then everybody that I am above the rules."  
"Hrmph," mumbled Steiner from his seat next to the General. Zidane only gave him a quick glance.  
"But these rules are different, Zidane," said Beatrix. "They are not optional so therefore cannot be broken."  
"Ha, rules are made to be broken."  
"Not these ones," said Beatrix flatly. Her tone changed to a more serious note. "Only the defending champion can make any exceptions to the rules as stated."  
"And you are the defending champion," said Zidane in the form of an obvious statement rather then a question.  
"Yes I am and I do not intend to make any exceptions to the rules…especially this one."  
"I see then," said the blonde has he sat back down in his chair at the head of the table. He looked like he had been hit by a Behemoth as he stared blankly at the air in front of him.  
"She does not have to," said Mikoto as her voice grabbed everybody's attention.  
"Huh, wait…what?" asked Blank, looking a bit confused by the whole ordeal.  
"She does not have to change the rules, or make any exceptions."  
"And why is that?" asked Garnet from her seat next to Zidane. The blonde himself had inched closer to the table as he waited for his sister to speak.  
Mikoto turned to him and smiled. "Do you not know?"  
Zidane looked puzzled by her question. "Know what?"  
"What a week from today is, two days before the tournament?"  
"…No"  
She sighed as she looked disappointed by his answer. "Well I suppose you would not know…how could you?"  
"How could I know what?" asked Zidane, starting to get slightly irritated at his sister.  
"Two days before the tournament is your true birthday, the day you were released from the incubation tank. You will be eighteen"  
Everybody around the table gasped at the news. Even Garnet sat there with her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide. She could not believe it.  
"Nice, a birthday," blurted Blank as he stood up and raised his arms. "Beer all around…and a cupcake for Rusty!"

* * *

**A/N: There, it's done and yes I do believe that Zidane deserves to have a birthday. Don't we all? Now review and I do hope to get the next chapter up much sooner then this one. Again I am sorry about the delay. Now review please……..please?**


	15. Ch 14: Change is Coming

**A/N: Well it has been over a year since my last update. I am terribly sorry for the huge delay but a lot has happened since I last wrote. I graduated from college and finally got a full time job working way to many hours. On top of that I just bought my first home and that in itself is a hand full I was not expecting. But things have finally slowed down to normal so I decided to start writing again for this story, of which I fully intend to finish until the end with proper, regular updates.**

**Well, now without any further interuptions, here is the next chapter in this epic tale. There is a special introduction at the end for one of the past charater spot winners. You will know who you are once you read.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to FFIX or Square-Enix. I do in fact own anything of my own creation.**

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* * *

  
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**Chapter 14:**

**Change is Coming**

Amarant tried to move his arm from the awkward position it was in under his abdomen. He had been lying on the extremity for close to half an hour and it had fallen asleep. He tried to squeeze his fist but his hand felt like a fuzzy pin cushion that was being punctured by a thousand needles. He hated that feeling, made him feel weak and he did not like feeling weak. Moving his fingers around, he tried to get the blood flowing back into his hand.

The ex-bounty hunter had hidden himself on one of Regents Cid's small airships called _Sentinels_. The place he had taken for his hiding spot was small, much too small for a man his size and stature. Why could the Regent not make the storage compartments bigger? Did he not take into account that somebody could get stuffed into one, whether voluntary or not? Judging by the space he was in, the Regent had apparently not taken an event such as this into careful consideration during his design of the airship.

At the moment the airship was in the air and had been for the entire time he was stuck inside his temporary prison. The person piloting the craft was the Regent's young adoptive daughter, Eiko. Amarant had followed her onto the ship all the way from the castle. She had left the castle in a hurry after what seemed to be a frustrating talk with her adoptive mother. Apparently something terrible had happened near her old home and she seemed worried about something. Amarant did not know what was going through the young summoner's mind but he could not just let her run off and do something rash. It went against his nature.

So he followed her all the way down to the docks and snuck onto the airship after she went in, trying his best as to not be seen or heard. Considering that was the sort of thing he did for most his life, it was easy. She did hear him as he entered the airship and closed the hatch but in her haste and mindset at the time, had though nothing more of it.

His mind went back to his cramped compartment and sleeping arm. The brat would pay for making him follow her; he would make sure of that. He tried to move his arm again but was only met with restraint in the confined space. He really was starting to dislike this ship, just like everything else in the world.

He was about to open the compartment door to at least get some air when he felt a sensation run up his spine. He immediately knew the feeling as a slight feeling of weightlessness. The airship was descending which could only mean that Eiko had reached her destination, wherever that was. Just as he pulled his hand away from the door, the entire airship gave a sudden jerk causing his head to smack into the solid surface before him.

Rubbing his head, he grumbled insults at the pilot that he would never repeat before her. Or maybe he would, if given the chance. He could not control what came out of his mouth sometimes but he did not care. Either way, the fact did not matter because he was stuck inside a small compartment and that was the little brats doing.

Well, not really her fault but he blamed her anyway.

In the darkness, Amarant again reached for the door handle. As he slowly opened the door, light poured into his hiding spot, causing him to go momentarily blind. He waited a minute for his eyes to adjust to the direct sunlight. His body tensed for a second. Sunlight? Where the hell was it coming from? He swore under his breath if that brat took him anywhere near the Forgotten Continent he would _No Mercy_ the last living scream out of her.

As his eyes finally adjusted he noticed that the hatchway, which was located right across from his hiding spot, was open. Sunlight poured through the opening along with a cool breeze and the smell of the sea. The distant crash of waves told him that they were not on the beach-less Forgotten Continent. He quickly glanced over to the cockpit area but found the post to be empty. The young summoner must have already left the airship.

"What, do we live in a barn," he murmured to himself, half jokingly.

Quickly and silently he crawled out of his hiding spot with one fluid movement. He winced slightly as he stretched his knotted and cramped muscles. He was getting to old for this sort of thing. He had been a bounty hunter all his life, so chasing after people was second nature. But the toll it took on his body was beginning to catch up to him. Quickly he brushed the notion aside. There was no room for weakness; not for him, the Flaming Amarant Coral.

Slowly he walked up to the main cockpit, his heavy boots doing nothing to conceal his approach. A steady hum filled his ears as he entered the small two-man cockpit. He quick realized what the noise was and made a soft grumble to himself. In her haste, Eiko had forgotten to turn off the engine.

Maybe he should take off and leave her here? That would teach her a lesson. He mulled the idea over in his head but ultimately decided that was not the best thing to do. He could not just leave her here alone after all. He reached out and turned the engine switch off. The soft hum died out only to be immediately followed by a low growling. _Great_, he thought to himself. The combined noise and heat from the running engine must have attracted a monster.

Showing no fear as to what was out there, Amarant walked back out of the cockpit and through the open hatchway. A cool ocean breeze welcomed him; far better then the musty, sealed environment within the _Sentinel_. Why did Regent Cid have to make his airships so damn air tight? Regardless of the man's creative mind when it came to designing airships, the bounty hunter had more important things to attend to then criticizing the Regent's work.

He slowly removed the weapon he had holstered to his back. The _Rune Claw_, as it was called, was a very crude and brutal instrument in battle. Just like the name implied, the weapon was strapped to the wrist and used as a claw. The _Rune Claw_ had two huge claws that protruded over the bearers closed fist. The claws are very sharp and were said to come from an ancient creature that was now extinct. Even through death, the creature managed to leave enough magic behind in those claws. This mysterious magic was unlike any other, only unleashing its hidden power into physical movements. This uniqueness amplified the physical strength of a power attack by an unimaginable amount. That was just how Amarant liked his fights; pure power.

As he strapped the weapon to his large forearm, he felt the rush of power flow into him. The feeling was like a cold chill on a warm summer night, strange yet familiar. Amarant clenched his fist around the strap, causing his knuckles to turn white. With a groan of frustration he turned to his left and rounded the airship, preparing to meet his new found friend.

* * *

The creature sniffed at the exhaust vent to the engine, trying to find the source of the noise and heat. The beast, hovering nearly five feet off the ground, was an Ironite. With scales the color of raw flesh, it was about twenty-five feet long and had a fifteen foot wing span. Its' neck was long and lead to an elongated head that housed rows of sharp teeth. Each limb had deadly claws at the end and even the wing tips had a sharp weapon as an added defense. Not normally known as an aggressive monster, Ironites were very territorial and would challenge anything that entered their territory. This Ironite was just following its' instinct in this situation as the airship was within its' territory.

Using the powerful scent glands in its nose, the Ironite tasted the air again. Only this time the exhaust fumes were not the only thing it found. Another scent was there, hiding but not well enough as to avoid detection by the creatures' strong sense of smell.

The beast, now fully agitated by another presence within its territory, left the airship to investigate the new scent. As the Ironite rounded the _Sentinel_, it quickly found the source of the smell.

The monster suddenly let out a cry of both anger and pain as something sharp pierced its' side.

* * *

Amarant watched as the beast jerked to the side from the impact, letting out a howl of pain and anger. His aim was true, just as it always was. He never missed a throw, at least not from this close.

The weapon he used to throw was called a _Rising Sun_ and in the hands of somebody with incredible aim and power like himself was extremely deadly. No bigger than a small plate, the _Rising Sun_ was circular and very thin. Around the outside of the weapon were jagged cutters which were very sharp. Those blades along with the holographic, heat tempered and strengthened steel gave the weapon its characteristic name because when light reflected of the surface it resembled the sun.

Regardless of how they looked, Amarant loved the outcome they produced when thrown at an enemy. They were his second favorite weapon only to the devastating claw he was holding in his right hand. Squeezing the strap that kept the claw firmly attached to his hand, the bounty hunter took a couple of steps to the side trying to circle the monster.

Those two steps were what doomed him.

The Ironite sensed the bounty hunters movements and launched an attack. It swung its' neck around to face the intruder. As it did this, the mouth opened and released an intense spray of bright orange liquid fire. The attack covered an area roughly forty feet across.

Too much for the red-headed man to dodge.

Amarant was hit with the attack square in the chest, causing him to be thrown backward. He tumbled to the ground, flipping end over end, engulfed in flame. As quickly as the fire appeared, it dissipated, leaving behind an intense pain all over his body. Amarant tried to push his body up off the ground with his left arm but the pain was too much. He clenched his teeth as his arm gave way and he crumbled back down onto the hard sand covered surface. He heard the creature take a step toward him and knew what was coming.

The bounty hunter closed his eyes in preparation for the attack, waiting for the intense heat to overwhelm him.

But the pain never came.

He opened his eyes to find himself surrounded on a radiating blue light. Before he could realize what was happening, the pain from the first attack faded away and his burnt skin quickly healed and returned to its normal bluish tint. He felt a familiar rush of energy that gave him the strength he so desperately needed. He quickly got to his feet, showing no emotion about anything that just happened.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as he subconsciously made sure his _Rune Claw _was still firmly attached to his arm.

"Saving your butt, what else?" a young girl's voice answered behind him. Amarant already knew who it was just from the sarcasm and tone.

"I don't need any help," he grumbled with a glance over at the young summoner. "And that was not what I meant by what you are doing here."

"Well, it sure looks like you need help," Eiko said in a matter-of-fact tone while purposely ignoring his question again. "What's wrong Ammie, can't handle the big ole' dragon by yourself?"

"Like you could," he retorted without even looking at the young girl.

"You bet I could!"

"Fine, be my guest," he said with a wave at the monster still hovering in front of them. He folded his arms in front of his chest and wondered if having her fight alone was such a good idea. She did need to learn the hard way and he would make sure she did not get hurt…bad.

"No problem," Eiko giggled with a smile his way. She twirled her _Angel's Flute_ in her hand and brought it to her mouth. Even though he could not hear anything, he knew there was sound coming out of the weapon. He shook his head at the unnecessary act. It was all for show. The sounds from the flute did not call the Eidolon; she called them with her horn and her magic.

Still, she liked the attention that her act brought her.

Once she was finished, she brought the flute back down to her side. Suddenly a large furry shape fell out of the sky and landed directly in front of her. The shape, or Eidolon, let out a tremendous roar in the direction of the Ironite.

The magical beast was almost twenty feet tall and covered in thick tan fur. Named Madeen, the Eidolon could almost be described at a mutant moogle. He had a large muscular frame that made him appear larger then he really was. Sharp claws finished off each hand and a tail protruded from his lower back. He was a menacing creature from his looks, except for the maroon ribbon that was tied around his neck.

Madeen was a unique Eidolon; much different from the others. Back when Eiko was born, her grandfather made a deal with the spirits that create the powerful summoning creatures. From the result of his actions, a baby moogle was born on the same day as his granddaughter. This moogle, named Mog, befriended Eiko from day one. It was not until six years later during her travels to save all of Gaia that she found out what Mog really was. He turned into Madeen to save her and then explained to her that he was sent to watch over her and protect her. She still to this day does not know that her grandfather was the one who had Mog created.

But he died when she was four and never told her.

Eiko smiled at the fury Eidolon in front of her. A small swell of appreciation came through in that smile but she would not admit it. Even though the Eidolons true name was Madeen, she still called it Mog…her Mog. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world to have a guardian as strong and protective as Mog.

As if in response to her thoughts, as well as the threat of the Ironite, a bright white and bluish light started to form in between the hands of Madeen. As the Eidolon focused, the ground underneath the Ironite began to shake. Suddenly, Madeen threw his arms in the air and the ground exploded upward, carrying chunks of rock along with the dragon.

As the Eidolon held his arms in the air, light erupted from his hands with a raw, holy power that buzzed the air. Strands of white and blue light encircled the Ironite; interweaving and crossing over each other until the dragon could no longer be seen.

Then in dramatic fashion, Madeen clenched his fists and brought them down towards his chest. At that very instant, the ball of light containing the Ironite exploded violently. A powerful shockwave blasted the air but with no sound; only light. The now lifeless body of the dragon fell to the ground with a soft thumb.

Madeen then gave out one last roar, solely directed at Eiko and then vanished into thin air.

"Show off," grumbled Amarant as he tried to adjust his eyes from the blinding light from the summons attack.

"I know," replied Eiko with a smirk. She loved to show off sometimes and especially loved it when people noticed. Giggling, she placed her flute back where she usually kept it strapped to her hip. She turned around and made her way back to a small cluster of rocks that looked like the ruins of an ancient village.

"Now answer my question," demanded Amarant as he turned to face her.

Eiko stopped in her tracks and turned around. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," he said with a hint of frustration. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh…you mean here. At Madain Sari?"

"…"

"Well," she said as she looked at her feet, "after what mother said, I got worried about my friends here so I wanted to check on them. They're okay but you cannot tell mother and father about this. I will be in so much trouble." Her voice was almost starting to sound like a plea for help.

Amarant grumbled to himself and folded his arms in front of his chest. Eiko saw this and her eyes looked at him helplessly. Damn, how he hated that.

"Pleeaase," she pleaded again, trying her best to pout by pushing her bottom lip over her top.

"Whatever," mumbled the large bounty hunter as he unfolded his arms.

"Oh, thank you, thank you," she screamed, clapping her hands. "I just need to say goodbye and then we can head back home before my parents get back.

"Fine, just hurry up," said Amarant as he walk over to retrieve his Rising Sun from the fallen Ironite.

Quickly Eiko ran back into the village to say her goodbyes to her friends as Amarant started the _Sentinel_ in preparation for the flight back to Lindblum.

* * *

"Oh, this is so exciting!" giggled Garnet as they passed through the large main double doors of the Alexandrian castle and into the vast stone courtyard. The day had worn on into the evening, with the sun setting over the horizon. Regent Cid and Hilda had left urgently, ending the meeting prematurely. They did not say why they had to leave but only that they needed to check on something important. Garnet had a strange feeling in her gut when they said that but she thought nothing of it. She knew better then to question her Uncle.

"It's not that exciting," mumbled the blonde haired boy walking next to her. Zidane was not his usual free-spirited self at the moment. Ever since his sister told him about his birthday, he seemed to be lost in his owns thoughts, just like the time on Terra but not as severe.

"Yes it is," Garnet pushed with a smile. She hated seeing him like this. He did not look sad or depressed but he just was not himself and that bothered her. "Birthday's are special, regardless of age, race or whatever. It is a celebration of life, of being alive and cherishing all that is around you. What makes your birthday any less special then mine?"

This seemed to lighten his mood a little bit as his shoulders shifted slightly upward and his deep turquoise eyes widened.

"I guess," he squeezed out with a sigh. Garnet always seemed to brighten his mood. She knew just what to say all the time; it was scary now that he thought about it.

"Well let's just make our way over to registration and get you signed up," proclaimed the young woman as she motioned to a boat that would carry them across the moat surrounding the castle and into the heart of the town. They were all on their way to the registration booth for the upcoming Royal Alexandrian Tournament which was scheduled to start in nine days time. Registration had started early due to an increase in demand from interested applicants. They were expecting the highest turn out in the history of the event, something Garnet was extremely happy about.

"But I'm not 'of age' yet," mocked the thief with a touch of sarcasm hidden in the statement.

"Don't worry," assured Garnet as they all boarded the boat. "I'm the Queen of Alexandria. I think they will let you register…unless they want to meet Bahamut personally."

Zidane gave a small smile at her joke, wishing everything was that easy. He looked around at the party as the pilot of the boat pushed off the dock with a long wooden pole. The two were accompanied by Gene, the small black mage, as well as the Captain of the Knights of Pluto, Steiner, and Bodan from Daguerreo. Beatrix was off showing her cousin, Nathan, to his living quarters within the castle; something Zidane was not comfortable with but Garnet insisted on. Blank had left to take the part they bought from Bodan to Baku, before the large, hairy man went into convulsions just from shear anger.

Also on the boat were Mikoto and Alana. They insisted on coming along to show support even though Zidane had told them they could stay at the castle. They refused to stay, partly because they were relatively new to the town and knew nobody outside of the people on the boat. Even though he would not show it, he was glad they came along. Somehow he felt a sense of belonging when Mikoto was around and now having Alana as well made the feeling even stronger. Not that he felt alone around Garnet or his friends, but sense knowing about his past and his purpose, he felt a stronger connection to his sister…or sisters.

He was never alone, Garnet made sure he understood that. But sometimes he felt different than others. He never felt that way around Mikoto.

"We are at the town, your Majesty," alerted the pilot of the boat and a crisp, deep voice. Almost to symbolize his statement, the boat jerked slightly as he glided into the dock, just barely bumping the side of the boat against the stone pier.

They all exited the boat; some a bit more steady then others. Zidane reached out with his arm to catch Gene as she stumbled a bit, still not use to flying or even boats. Making sure she was okay, he patted her pointy hat and turned towards Garnet.

"So where is the registration booth," he asked as he stretched a knot out of his back.

"It should be just around the corner, outside the main Inn," explained the dark haired Queen.

As they made their way to the booth, the sun completely set over the horizon, bring with it the crisp clear sky of dusk. Off to the east, the twin moons of Gaia started their dance across the potential night's sky.

"Here we are," announced Garnet as she walked over to a large elaborate booth set up outside of the Inn that was surrounding the main shopping court in the town. The booth was made of beautifully carved wood that looked to be centuries old. Hand woven cloth, embroidered with thousands of jewels acted as a canopy over the attendant that sat behind the counter. The man, working frantically on some parchment, did not see the party as they approached.

"Excuse me, sir," bellowed Steiner in his usual loud and clear voice. The man sure did not have any internal volume control. He stopped directly in front of the booth, his size hovering over the man sitting behind the counter.

"I'm sorry but we are not taking any more registrations today," said the man with a wave of his hand. He did not even so much as lift his head from his work. "Come again tomorrow during working hours."

"I do not feel the Queen will be too happy about that," answered the knight as he crossed his arms across his chest. The comment finally got a reaction out of the man as he gave a loud sign and dropped the feather he was using to write on the parchment.

"Well, I will be sure to apolo-," he said as he looked up. His words got lost in his throat as soon as he noticed the company he was addressing. He quickly stood up and attempted a bow while almost smacking his head on the counter. "Y-your Majesty, I am terribly sorry. I did not know it was…that you were…I am so sorry."

"No need to apologize," assured the Queen with a warm smile. "We just came down here to register a friend of mine in the Royal Alexandrian Tournament. Will it be okay if we register now or should we come back tomorrow?"

"Of course they can register, your Majesty," he said as he quickly shuffled through some parchment papers. The man was relatively tall now that he was standing. He looked solidly built, with wide broad shoulders and muscular arms. His face was young, but his deep hazel eyes showed years of experience. His light brown hair matched the vest he wore over a dark blue shirt. A large black belt held up his tan pants and from that hung two weapons; what looked to be a dagger of sorts and a sword. A necklace hung from his neck and held what appeared to be an old tooth from some type of creature.

The man finally found what he was looking for, a stack of blank registration forms, and handed one to the Queen, "Here you are, your Majesty. I am sure your friend understands the rules of the tournament, as well as the regulations. They must also be eighteen years of age to participate."

"He will be turning eighteen two days before the start of the tournament," she said as she took the form. "I am sure that will be okay."

"Of course, your Majesty," replied the man quickly, not wanting to upset the Queen of Alexandria.

"Hey Rusty," whispered the blonde thief as he took the parchment from Garnet. "You should enter the tournament as well. Would be a good way to showcase your skills to Beatrix?"

"…," Steiner glared at the thief with a sharp piercing stare. Zidane did not know if the big man was angry at the name or the comment he said. Either way he did not give a reply.

"Yea, you should enter," agreed Garnet as she gave the knight a smile.

"Very well," grumbled Steiner as he took a parchment that the young man behind the counter handed him.

"How about you, Bodan?" asked Zidane, holding out another blank form in the direction of the large red-haired man.

Bodan stared at the parchment for a second before shrugging his shoulders. "Sure, why not?" he exclaimed and then took the form.

The three then took a couple of minutes to right down any information that was requested on the form and handed them back to the man behind the counter. Zidane took a little longer then Steiner or Bodan, mainly due to the fact that he did not know what to right on some of the sections. How could he answer where he was born? Or what race he was? Garnet noticed he was skipping those sections so she took the feather pen and added her input.

Zidane read what she wrote. _Born: Bran Bal, Terra; Race: Genome_.

He looked at her with worry in his eyes but she just smiled.

"Like I said, they all know what happened," she assured him. As her words sunk in, he let out a breath and nodded in agreement. She was write of course, he was who he was and everybody would have to accept that, even himself. Plus he did help save all of Gaia. That had to count for something.

Finally finished, he handed the completed form to the man at the booth. The man took all three forms and after giving them a quick look through, stamped each one in wax with the Alexandrian Royal Crest.

"You gentlemen are all set," he said with a smile as he placed the forms on top of the stack he already had.

"How many are participating in the tournament," asked Zidane, his curiosity starting to come to the surface.

"We have 128 slots open to fill and about 99 have registered."

"That's a lot."

"Yea it is," gleamed the young man, his face breaking into a big grin. "I participated in it the last one and there were only about 58 fighters. This is going to be the biggest in the history of the event. I feel we will reach the registration limit by end of the day tomorrow."

"Wait, you fought in the last tournament?" asked the thief, showing a bit of shock in his voice.

"Yea I did," answered the man with another big smile. "Although I did not fair very well; getting knocked out in the second round. Never saw the thundaga spell charging and by the time I did, it was too late. But I have been training hard and won't make the same mistake again."

"I see," acknowledged Zidane with a tilt of his head.

"The name is Krim," the man said as he held out his hand. Zidane took the gesture openly, noticing the strength hidden in the firm handshake. "Nice to meet you."

"Same here."

"Good luck to all of you in the tournament and hope to see you there," Krim said, then turned and bowed to Garnet. "Your Majesty."

Garnet returned the bow in favor, something she did not have to do but still did out of a sign of respect.

"Good luck to you as well," replied both Zidane and Bodan. Steiner only gave the man a nod, probably still angry about how Krim acted when they first approached the booth.

With the registration done, the party of seven made their way back to the boat, which would take them back to the castle. Garnet walked along Zidane's side while Mikoto walked on the other with Alana.

"He seemed nice," Mikoto said as she took a look back toward the booth.

"Yea, he seemed like a nice guy," agreed her brother. "I hope we see him again during the tournament."

"He has been training and could be tough if you have to fight him."

"I'm not worried about that."

"Well he might be stronger then you give him credit for," piped in Garnet from his other side. "He could knock you out."

"Ha," Zidane laughed. "The only fighter I worry about is Beatrix."

"She might not be the only one you should be worrying about," Garnet said ominously. Zidane lifted one eye in her direction, noticing the slight smirk she had on her face. He returned the smirk with one of his one and soon both were laughing as they walked.

As night took over the sky, they made their way onto the boat and back to Alexandria Castle. Garnet looked up to see the twin moons of Gaia, one blue and the other red. Their luminance seemed to give the night's sky a purple hue that reflected of everything. The boat soon docked and they entered the castle where dinner awaited them, away from the increasing cold. They all had a long day and in a week's time, everything was going to become very chaotic.

There was a special day coming up, a party to be held, and Garnet wanted it to be a night full of memories.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing. This was one of my favorite chapters to write by far. The next one will be super exciting as Zidane finally gets a birthday. But will it be everything he every wished for…or does he even want a birthday?**

**Krimson, I hope the character description was good. If you want to add anything please let me know.**

**The tournament will be coming up soon so for anybody that is waiting on the edge of their seat for it, cause I am sure you all are….right?**

**Anyway, please review….the more you review…the fast I will write!!!! I promise…I really do!!!!!!!**


	16. Ch 15: Preparations

**Author's Notes: I know you guys must be asking yourselves…Solark updated again. And so soon at that. Yes it is true. I told you that I had more time to write and therefore I am writing more. I hope this chapter is exceptable, even though it lacks the action of my previous entries. But fear not my action seeking readers; action will come soon enough and there will be tons of it! Well enough of my ranting, here is the latest installment in this epic tale.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding Final Fantasy, Square-Enix or any of its propreities. I do however own characters and such of my own creation.**

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**Chapter 15:**

**Preparations**

"You really don't have to do this," pleaded Zidane as he watched one of the servants take his plate from the table. They had just finished dinner, as well as discussing preparations for the day to come.

Nearly a week had passed since learning of his birthday and the blonde thief's position on the subject had not changed. The day was tomorrow and he really did not want to make a big deal out of the event.

Garnet on the other hand, had a different mindset.

Since learning about his birthday, she became adamant about having a party for him. Not just any party though, but a royal bash with all the works. She wanted the day to be special, not just for him but for his sisters as well. She understood what it was like to feel as if you are an outcast, like she did not belong. Back during her travels, she finally learned where she really came from and who her true family was, not the adoptive one she had known for most her life. Since then, she sometimes felt like she was not meant to be here, around all the nobles and in the gown she usually wore. Even though the citizens of Alexandria knew about her past, they still accepted her as their Queen, but she occasionally felt that the position was a mask over her true identity. Even though she sometimes felt that way, she really did love her life. She was extremely fortunate to have all the people she cared for the most around her.

Now with the surprise of Zidane's true birthday right around the corner, she saw that as an opportunity to celebrate. She would do her best to make sure it was a night he would never forget. He deserved that much; after all he did help save Gaia. But more than that, he deserved it because he was her friend. More times then she could count, he was there for her; so why should she not do the same?

"Of course I do," she replied as another servant took her plate from the table. Her preparations for the party were done. There was no turning back now. She had put way too much time and effort into planning and everything else. Zidane would just have to get over his selflessness and accept the fact that he was going to get a birthday party, whether he liked it or not.

"But all of this," said Zidane, combing one hand through his blonde hair. "You really are going overboard. Just a simple cake would have been fine; maybe some Dragon's Ale to wash it down with."

"No way," Garnet giggled, cracking her lips into a sweet smile. She had so much planned for tomorrow. There was a cake of course and plenty of ale to drink but that was just a small portion. She had sent invitations out to every kingdom and every noble; as well as many commoners as well. She wanted there to be a wide mix of people present, so Zidane would feel more comfortable. Of course, with the added invitations came a larger security issue but Beatrix and Steiner would make sure that was well taken care of. That left her with just the party preparations and did she ever plan a lot.

There was a play scheduled for during the dinner meal, courtesy of Zidane's friends from Tantalus. They were more than happy to do the play for no cost at all which was something she did not expect but greatly appreciated. It just showed how much they truly cared for Zidane and thought of him as one of their own.

After dinner would be a grand fireworks show, put on by some of the kingdoms best magicians and finest engineers. The Royal Alexandrian Band was also scheduled to perform music during the dinner as well as music to accompany the fireworks. Garnet had planned everything out, right down to the smallest detail. She would not pull any strings for this party. It would be the grandest party Alexandria had ever seen; there would be no exceptions.

Of course, her preparations did not stop with just the festivities. There was one more thing she had planned, something that Zidane was not even aware about. She was so excited about this one thing that she could barely keep her composure. She could not wait until tomorrow, when she would give her gift to him. She could not wait to see the look on his face when he found out.

"But a play?" questioned Zidane, raising one eyebrow in her direction.

"What?" Garnet questioned back, acting defensive over his reaction to an event she had planned. "I thought it would be nice. Plus Baku and the rest of the gang were more than happy to do it. In fact, they insisted."

"Well, I guess that's fine," shrugged the blonde as he took a sip of some ale that was left on the table from dinner. A chill ran down his spine as the cold liquid entered his throat. He relished the moment, remembering how much simpler life could be. "It's just going to be weird, watching them perform but not being in it."

"I am sure you will get over it," Garnet said with a wave of her small hand.

"What if I can't?" Zidane questioned, placing his hands behind his head and leaning back in his chair. "What if I get the urge to go on stage or even worse….just not watch?"

"Then I would be very upset," replied the summoner in a very serious tone. "But you do what you want. I can't stop you."

Zidane let out a grumble of disagreement that sounded more like a low growl. He did not want to upset her, not after all she went through to plan the whole party. That would be completely disrespectful to her and well…that just was not his nature. So he decided to suck it up and go through with it, even if he really did not want to. Because that would make her happy and that was all he wanted.

"I cannot wait to see the play," said a small voice from across the table.

"Me too," said another small voice with a bit more excitement.

Zidane looked over at his two sisters, Mikoto and Alana. They had finished their dinner as well, having been invited by Garnet to stay in one of the castles many guest rooms for the week leading up to Zidane's birthday. They were reluctant at first but Garnet insisted and when Zidane agreed to stay at the castle in a guest room next to theirs, they finally opened up and accepted her invitation.

Now they were sitting at the table, theirs eyes wide with excitement as Garnet had explained the festivities for to following day. They had not said a word during the entire meal until this point.

"Really?" Zidane questioned with a looked from his deep turquoise eyes. He did not understand their excitement but was happy at the same time. They were finally starting to come out of their shells. Hopefully the rest of the genomes were going the same but he doubted that thought. Only four had real souls; three were sitting in this room, the other was dead.

"Oh yes," answered Alana, shaking her head feverishly. "I remember the Black Mages saying Vivi told them about the one he saw back when you first met him. Since then I always wanted to see one for myself."

"Is that so…," pondered the blonde, seemingly lost in thought for a second. He could not help but crack a smile at the mention of his late friend. How he missed that little mage.

"Well, I think that's just wonderful," Garnet said, turning to face the two female genomes. "How would you both like to sit in the front row?"

"I guess," replied Mikoto, a little unsure about sitting so close to the stage.

Alana, on the other hand, was wide with excitement.

"That would be great!" she exclaimed with a clap of her hands. She was told by Mikoto about Garnet and how nice she was. Now seeing her for the first time and staying here for the past week, she finally understood what her sister was saying. Garnet had offered them a place to stay at her beautiful castle, gave them plenty of food to eat and drink. She allowed them to have access to any part of the castle they wanted and even assigned them guards if they wanted to take a stroll around the town which they never did yet. Now she was letting them have front row seats for the play during Zidane's birthday. Alana could not believe how nice Garnet was being to them. Was it because of her brother or was it something else entirely?

"Good," Garnet said as she removed a napkin from her lap and placed it on the table. "I will make sure that you two are reserved front rows seats for the play."

"Thank you," giggled the young genome with a big smile on her face. Mikoto on the other hand just simply nodded her head at Garnet, showing acknowledgement for her kindness but giving no words.

"You are more than welcome," assured the queen as she stood up from the table. "Well, I really must be going. I've had a long week and need to catch up on some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a big day." She finished the last sentence with a quick glance in Zidane's direction.

"Have a good night," inserted Alana as she and Mikoto left the table and headed towards the door and to their rooms for the night.

"You too," Garnet said as they were heading out.

"Dagger…," whispered Zidane as he motioned towards the doorway that his sisters just left through, "Thank you…for everything. You didn't have to do all this but…..thank you."

Garnet gave a subtle nod of her head in acknowledgement but no words came out. She could not manage them without breaking down. His words cut her deep, deeper then she thought they would. She knew this whole party did mean a lot to Zidane, more than he would admit. She half expected him to act sarcastically, like his usual self but he did not. He actually thanked her and she never expected that, not once.

With a quick smile, Zidane turned and left out the same doorway that his sister's just exited. Garnet watched him as he walked away; angry at herself for not saying anything but not trusting any words that would come out. Taking a deep breath, she exited the room as well and made her way up to her room. She was extremely tired and tomorrow was a big day. Everything needed to go as planned; she had worked too hard for it not to.

* * *

_"O…holy guardian, hear our prayer…"_

_Thunder clapped the night's sky, shaking the very foundation of the air. Rain bounced and danced off the marble and granite stone work of structure. Bright pink, purple, and blue light was shining from every corner of what seemed to be some sort of holy temple._

_"Deliver us from darkness and into the light."_

_Illuminated by the surreal light was a staircase, from which the voice appeared to have emanated. The stairs were long and curved. They brought with them an alien feeling that they did not belong. At the top of the stairs lay what seemed to be an altar, except there was no table. There was only a giant circular area with mystical symbols on the floor. But the most alarming thing about the area was not the drawing; it the lone figure that was kneeling in the center of the circle. The figure was about three feet tall kneeling down but any detail beyond that was hard to determine due to the immense flashes of light followed by complete darkness. One thing was for certain, the figure was speaking._

_"O…holy guardian, hear our prayer; deliver us from darkness and into the light." _

_A thunderous shock of lightning clearly illuminated the figure on the floor. He looked like an old man with a long blue robe. But there was one thing about him that seemed different. There, above the man's eyes on his forehead, was a horn._

_Slowly his head turned to reveal his full face. He was old but his features had not diminished with age. He showed no signs of wrinkles, even around his eyes, which were the most strange of all. Even through the darkness, his eyes seemed to glow with a faint bluish hue._

_Turning his head back away, he lowered it down, almost as if in defeat._

"_You will never get away with this," he said in a hoarse voice. It was more of a statement rather than a warning._

"_I already have," a deep voice replied as thunder once again overwhelmed the night._

* * *

Garnet shot up in her bed, the white satin sheets falling off her chest as she reached up to touch her forehead. Her fingers felt moisture, cold and evident. She could feel her hair stuck to her forehead as she ran her fingers over it.

The dream.

She had been having it more often of late but none as prominent as this one. This time it was much more. She finally realized where in the dream she was; Alexandria.

But who was that man? He had a horn on his forehead? Was he a summoner?

Unconsciously, her hand touched her forehead, only to be met be the cold sweat again. He could not have been. She had never met another summoner like herself, other than Eiko. On top of that, she had never seen the man before. So why was he in her dream and why at Alexandria?

And now there was that voice. She had never heard it before in the dream. The voice was evil and seemed to come straight out of the depths of darkness itself. Whatever, or whoever it was, the voice scared her to the bone.

But, what did all this mean?

The Alexander summon spell, Alexandria's Castle, the man, the voice, and the darkness. None of it made sense to her. She did not know why she kept having this dream or what the end result would be. Either way, none of it mattered to her. It was just a dream and nobody had to know.

Taking a deep breath, she slid out of the bed and talked over to the large twelve foot high, arched double doors that let out onto her private balcony. A cool breeze met her face as she opened them, drying the sweat from her brow. Her dark hair waved and danced in the breeze behind her head.

She narrowed her eyes as the first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon in the cloudless sky. Today was going to be a beautiful day, just like she had hoped for. A knock on the door broke her out of her trance.

"Who is it?" she asked while closing the balcony doors and locking them.

"Oh, Beatrix," sighed the young queen as she made her way to the center of the room and sat down on the foot of her oversized bed. "You can come in."

The door creaked and strained on its hinges as the General turned the knob and entered the room. As always, she was wearing her normal elegant armor that clearly defined her power and beauty. She barely made a sound as she swiftly entered the room and closed the door behind her.

"Good morning, your Majes-," Beatrix started, but abruptly stopped as soon as she looked up and at the young woman before her. "My Queen! What happened to you? Is something wrong?"

"No…why?" Garnet said, a bit confused and startled by her friends' reaction and change of tone.

"Your face looks very pale," stated the General as she quickly moved to stand before her queen. She reached her arm up and gently touched Garnet's forehead with the back of her hand. "You are sweating and somewhat warm as well. Do you have a fever?"

"Oh," gasped the summoner as she touched her forehead in reaction to Beatrix's comment. She had completely forgotten about her slight condition and did not what Beatrix to know about the dream…not yet anyway. "It's nothing, Beatrix. I could not sleep well last night. Kept tossing and turning the whole time. I guess I could not get today out of my mind for some reason. I just want everything to go smoothly."

"I am positive that all will go as planned," reassured Beatrix with a small smile. She was not entirely convinced that today's party had been the only thing troubling her queen but she decided not to press the matter. If Garnet said she was worried about today that was good enough for her. Still something was nagging at her, something she felt the young girl was not explaining. She could see it in her eyes. They showed not only worry, but fear as well. Beatrix would have to keep her eye out for more of this behavior. If it continued then she would confront Garnet about it.

"Are you sure?" asked Garnet, relieved that the General did not press the issue of her condition any further.

"Of course," continued Beatrix as she flicked a lock of her brunette hair out of her face and to the side. "You had spent the entire week planning this. Everything is in order and ready to go. You have done a great job preparing this party and it will be great. I am sure Zidane appreciates everything you have done."

"Thank you, Beatrix," smiled Garnet, her eyes gleaming as light from the morning sun pierced through the window and illuminated the room. "You always know just what to say."

"I try, your Majesty," bowed the proud General, returning the girl's warm smile with one of her own. "You had better get ready though. You have a long day ahead of yourself. I must go and do my final preparations for security. Will you be fine on your own?"

Garnet gave Beatrix a nod of her head, both in appreciation for her words as well as a response to the question. The General gave a final bow and quietly left the room, closing the door behind her. The young queen let out a deep breath once the door closed. She could tell Beatrix suspected something was wrong. The General seemed to know every time, even when she was a little girl. Garnet did not know how much longer she could play dumb with the Alexandrian warrior. Hopefully the dreams would subside and she could but it all behind her.

Quickly, she made her way over to her private bathroom and turned the tub on. She needed to get ready, for there was much to do before the party started later in the evening.

* * *

"Come on, brother," demanded Alana as she pounded on the door as hard as she could. This was the third time she came to get Zidane in the last hour and a half. The party was set to start in roughly thirty minutes and the birthday boy still had not come out of his room. She could not understand why he stayed in there when it was so fun around the castle, especially downstairs.

"I told you to call me Zidane," yelled the blonde thief.

"Why can't I call you brother?"

"Because it just sounds weird the way you say it."

"Brother!" yelled Alana as she continued pounding on the door. "Brother! Brother! Brother!" Her hand missed the door on the last pound and stopped right before Zidane's face.

"Are you done now?" he asked sarcastically as he stood in the now open doorway.

"No!" spat out the younger genome, crossing her arms in front of her. "Why haven't you come out of your room yet? The party is going to start soon and…are you being a party pooper?"

"What?" Zidane gasped, a bit taken back by the words she used. "Where did you learn to say that?"

"From your friend, that girl with the funny voice," Alana said in a smug tone.

"Oh…Ruby," Zidane breathed as he rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm not being a party pooper. I was told to stay either in my room or outside in the city by Dagger. She doesn't want me to see the anything that is being setup until the party starts."

"I see," acknowledged Alana, studying her brother with her eyes. "Why did you choose to stay in your room?"

"I did not want to deal with all the commotion that was going on in the town," stated Zidane, scratching the back of his head with one hand.

"Well you should see down stairs," proclaimed Alana with a hint of a smile. "Everything looks so nice. Garnet did such a good job with all the decorations and stuff. She is so nice to everybody, but especially us. She even let me take a peek at where the play was to take place and where we would be sitting."

"That's great," said Zidane, proud of the fact that she was becoming more and more comfortable with all of his friends and her surroundings, especially Garnet. Mikoto, on the other hand, was still very timid and often kept to herself most of the time.

Suddenly a deep, drowning vibration flooded the air, causing Alana's eyes to go wide as she covered her ears. Zidane only laughed, the loud noise not even affecting him.

"What was that?!" asked the younger genome, her hands still pressed tightly against her ears.

"That is the _Prima Vista II_," grinned Zidane as he closed his door and started walking down the hallway. "Baku and the gang have arrived. They are the ones that will do the play."

He paused in his tracks and turned to look at his sister, waving her to follow him. "Don't you wanna see the ship?"

"You're not supposed to leave your room," Alana reminded him. "Remember what Garnet said?"

"Oh, what can it hurt," he shrugged as he waved her on again. "Come on, I know you wanna see it."

Alana sighed, finally giving in to her brother's request. Of course she wanted to see the airship, especially since Zidane had told her so much about it over the past week. She just did not want Zidane to see any of the decorations and stuff. If Garnet found out he peeked then she would be upset and Alana did not want that to happen. Still, her brother was a free spirit and usually did what he wanted. She could not stop him.

As they rounded a corner, a large window towered in front of them with the afternoon sunlight pouring through. Shouts and whistles could be heard coming from all over the place outside. Zidane approached the window and pushed the large frames open, revealing all the sights and sounds of the commotion below. Dozens of people clamored in every direction; doing various tasks that each had its own importance.

In the midst of all the action was the _Prima Vista II_, her towering piers shooting effortlessly into the clear evening sky. On top of each pier was a propeller, still spinning freely in the air but slowly down as the elegant airship was now safely on the ground. All around the flying theatre, people worked feverishly to secure the airship. They tied the ropes and tethers that hung from the hull and frame to anchor points that were located in the surrounding stone. These anchors would assure that the Prima Vista II would not topple over at any time while docked in the courtyard.

"It's so big," Alana said in amazement as her eyes scanned the airship, taking in all its beauty and splendor. "And it's so…beautiful."

"Yea," Zidane smirked to himself, proud that his little sister had a good sense of taste; like him. "Yea it is."

"I cannot believe you got to fly on that thing before," Alana said in a slightly jealous tone. "I wish I could fly in it."

"I'll take you up one day," Zidane assured as he glanced over at his sister. She returned the stare with one of wonder; her eyes nearly popping out of her head. Zidane could not help but crack a smile at her reaction. She was so much like him; free-spirited and full of life. She did not worry too much about the small things, but even the smallest things made her happy.

"Really?" she gasped, her face turning to look at her brother. "You promise?"

"Of course," replied Zidane as he turned to meet his sister's gaze. He could see the hope and excitement within her. He never wanted her to lose that. "I promise I will."

"Yay!" she exclaimed as she turned back to look at the airship in front of her. Suddenly her eyes went wide and she turned back towards her brother with worry on her face. "Oh no, you cannot be here. You have to go back to your room."

"Why?" questioned Zidane, a little taken back by her sudden change of mood.

"Because if Garnet knows you are out here she will get made," Alana blurted out, trying to take her brother's hand and lead him back to his room. He was more stubborn then she thought he would be. "Come on, she does not want you to see anything until the party starts."

"It's OK," assured Zidane with a smirk. "She does not have to know I left my room."

"Too late," interrupted a voice that sent the fear of all the spirits straight into Zidane's very soul.

"Dagger!" Zidane said welcomingly as he whipped around to meet the voice. "Oh boy…"

The Queen of Alexandria walked over to where they were and stood before them. She was wearing a white blouse with blue pants and black boots, making her look more like a commoner then a queen. She crossed her arms in front of her chest; never taking her eyes off the blonde thief before her. She was not mad by any means, Zidane knew that for sure. If she was mad he would have been running for his life at the moment from a very large dragon.

"You could not stay in your room could you," she protested, tapping her foot on the floor before her. "Just had to take a peak, didn't you?"

"Sorry," Zidane smiled and shrugged his shoulders in defense. "I guess that's just part of my nature. Would you have me any other way?"

"Well if you put it that way," she insisted with a sarcastic tone. She could never keep a straight face with him. He always seemed to make her smile, even when she was upset. "I just don't want you to see anything until the party starts. I want it all to be a surprise…well some of it anyway."

"Trust me," Zidane said as he pointed over his shoulder at the window. "I was just showing Alana the _Prima Vista II_ but other than that I went and looked nowhere else."

"Okay," replied Garnet, trusting that he was telling the truth. "I was actually coming up here to let you know that we will be ready to start in a few minutes. If you two want to wait here, I will go change and then we can make our way downstairs."

"Sounds good," Zidane agreed, actually anxious for the party to start for the first time. He watched as Garnet made her way around the corner and towards her room. He wanted to tell her just how much he appreciated her, for everything she did. Not just to him but for his sister's as well. She had gone above and beyond anything he expected to make them feel as comfortable as possible and for that he was grateful. On top of that, she had worked tirelessly all week to prepare this party for him. Everything she did was for him. Just thinking of that made him feel like the luckiest guy in the world. He wanted to tell her that, more than anything else. But every time he tried, nothing came out. He wanted to express how he felt about her but the words never formed. He had never felt this way about another person before and now that he did, he did not know what to do. He knew he would go to the end of the world for her; he would give his life just so she did not feel one ounce of pain. He wanted her to know that and perhaps she already did. He did not know if she felt the same way he did or if she felt they were just friends. He wanted so bad to pour his heart out but he could not. All he could do around her was joke and laugh, which was fine but he wanted more. Perhaps she did as well but how long would she wait for him to say something, anything that told her how he felt.

A nudge on his shoulder took Zidane out of his thoughts. He turned around to see Alana pointing out the window at something.

"What is that?" she asked him with a questioning stare.

Zidane made his way to the window and looked back out. On top of the _Prima Vista II_, hundreds and hundreds of tubes were lined up on the top deck as well as the castle wall behind it. Workers worked quickly and cautiously, laying out a line to each one.

"Those are fireworks," Zidane told her, "They shoot flaming balls up into the air which explode into brilliant displays of light and sound."

"Wow, I can't wait!" Alana exclaimed as she clapped her hands in front of her.

The two stood at the window, watching the commotion below for a few more minutes until Garnet arrived. When Zidane saw her, he took a noticeable step back. She had changed into a light blue dress that faded to white near her feet. The dress was strapless and was adorned by hundreds of sparkling diamonds and aquamarines near the top. Her bare shoulders reflected in the last remaining sunlight as thousands of tiny sparks of magic. She wore white silk gloves with a blue floral design that ran all the up to and passed her elbows. Her hair was down and free; its layers surrounding her face as if in a portrait. She wore her crown but no other jewelry, not even her necklace.

"Let me be the first to formally say 'Happy Birthday'," she said with a small curtsey.

"Thank you, Dagger," replied the blonde, returning her gesture with a bow of his own.

"You don't have to bow back," enlightened Garnet with a roll of her eyes and a slight giggle.

"Sorry," shrugged Zidane, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Shall we," revealed the young summoner as she held out her arm.

"Sure," Zidane said and then glanced over to his sister standing next to him. "Why don't you head on downstair before us?"

Alana nodded in agreement and made her way down the hallway, towards the grand staircase. Zidane approached Garnet and held his left arm open for her to take. She did without any hesitation, relishing that one moment, if only for a second.

"Let the party begin," Zidane said with a wink. They both laughed as they made their way down the hallway and around a corner.

What Zidane saw next would change his life forever.

* * *

**There, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and the next two are already mapped out on paper. I am already writing the next one as we speak. Hopefully in two weeks I can have it up. We are getting to the good part of this tale, which for me is fun. Thanks a bunch to those who reviewed the last chapter Even after my year hiatus, Krimson, superloser, and munchin all returned to read and review. Thank you all! Now sit back, relax and enjoy…but PLEASE REVIEW as well!**


	17. Ch 16: Celebration to Remember

**Author's notes:**** Well, I guess I was totally off when I said that I would update soon. It just never pans out that way no matter how hard I try. Hopefully I can get myself onto a good schedule now and update more consistently. I will certainly try to do that.**

**Krim: I don't think you are going to be updating any sooner…ever…**

**Solark: What the…why do you say that?**

**Krim: Ummm…you just bought Dragon Age: Origins…your life is over.**

**Solark: That is a very negative way to look at things, don't you think?**

**Krim: Not really, you are pretty predictable.**

**Solark: Thanks…..I guess.**

**Krim: Wasn't a compliment.**

**Solark: Can you just give the disclaimer.**

**Krim: No problem. Solark…**_**(Krim falls flat on his face from a blow to the back of his skull)**_

**Solark: Jerk. Anyway, I do not own anything the pertains to Final Fantasy IX or anything else Final Fantasy related. Square-Enix owns all that. I do however, own my created characters Krim **_**(kicks the unconscious body on the floor),**_** Alana, Bodan and anything else of my own creation. I would like to direct people's attention to a great SI for Final Fantasy IX entitled **_**Melodies of Life**_**, written by Duelist of the Dawn. I was directed there by Krimson Rouge and was not disappointed. Great stuff and he updates very regularly. Also check out the FFIX related story called **_**A Distant Memory **_**by Sabine Howlstone****. She has done a great job so far and it is very much worth checking out. Special thanks to all my readers that have stayed with me and enjoyed the story so far. I appreciate you loyalty and hope you continue to read and review. Please spread the word if you may. I am fully committed to finishing this tale. This is by far the longest chapter I have written and is the turning point of the story. Without further a due, let's continue with the adventure.**

* * *

**Chapter 16:**

**Celebration to Remember**

Zidane looked on in wonder at the sight before him. The grand hall of Alexandria's castle had been transformed to the point where he could barely recognize it. There were thousands of balloons covering the ceiling above them in blue and white. A large, elegant wooden table had been set up on the joining platform of the grand staircase and was overwhelmed in gifts. Even the large portrait of the Queen of Alexandria, which hung on the wall directly above that table, had changed.

Now it was a portrait of him.

'_Boy, he wished she didn't do that_,' he thought to himself.

The red carpet that ran down the stairs was replaced by a royal blue one. As his eyes followed the fabric as it flowed all the way down, he finally noticed the floor of the hall. People were everywhere, some talking, others drinking or eating. Servants weaved their way in between everybody with extraordinary skill, carrying with them drinks and foods of all kinds.

Many of the people that were present he did not know but there were also quite a few that he did. In one corner of the hall he could see Bodan and Regent Cid; no doubt they were talking about airships and such. Next to them were Hilda and Eiko. Hilda was in a deep conversation with another woman, completely oblivious to what her husband was saying right next to her. Eiko, on the other hand, looked upset. Or maybe she was just bored; Zidane could never really tell what her mood ever was.

He panned his eyes over to a bench near the entrance to the library; recognizing the red armor and the long powerful spear. He smiled to himself as he watched the dragon knight Sir Fratley brought a drink over to Freya whom was sitting on the bench. Both were dressed in the armor of their home country of Burmecia, where the legendary dragon knights resided. They had been through many hardships over the years but had finally settled things out after Freya returned from helping them save Gaia. Now they were in the middle of not only rebuilding their relationship but also their home, as Burmecia had been nearly destroyed during that dark time.

Standing next to them was his sister's, Alana and Mikoto. They were accompanied by Gene and a familiar woman in a bright, frilly blue dress with her silver, blonde hair styled extravagantly atop her head. He could tell that Ruby was talking his sister's ear off but Alana seemed to be quite into the conversation. Perhaps the two were becoming fast friends. Now whether that was a good thing or not was still up in the air. He would have to keep a close eye out for that.

A loud voice in the center of the room drew Zidane's attention. He looked over to see who it was even though he already knew. Baku never was one to be stealthy, which was why the leader of Tantalus had left the thieving to Zidane and his friends. Tantalus was no longer in the thieving game now, as they have found better work in performing plays and using their beautiful airship as a luxury transportation device for the noble. Now the large man was in the center of the grand hall floor with the rest of the Tantalus gang surrounding him.

Well, almost the whole gang.

Blank was not there.

A short pan of his head allowed Zidane to find his best friend. He was roughly ten feet away from the rest of the members of Tantalus, near a large marble water fountain. As least Zidane thought it was a water fountain. Suddenly Blank bent over the fountain, reaching out with his arm and dipping what looked to be mug into the water. That was when Zidane recognized the color of the water in the fountain.

It was a dark brown.

"Are you kidding me!?" he asked Garnet, unable to hold the excitement in his voice. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes it is," assured the young queen with a giggle and a smile.

Zidane could hardly believe his eyes. He quickly looked back at the fountain and his friend; just to make sure what he was seeing was in fact real. Sure enough, Blank had his mug to his lips, downing the brown liquid in nearly one gulp. Once he was finished, the red head looked up and saw Zidane on the upper balcony.

"Hey Zidane!" yelled Blank, waving his arms to get his friends attention. He then proceeded to point at the fountain next to him. "Can you believe this? Dragon's Ale! A fountain of Dragon's Ale!"

"I know," replied Zidane, not wanting to really continue yelling across the grand hall so everybody would hear.

"This is the best party ever!" exclaimed Blank as he dipped his mug into the brown liquid once again.

"Man, at this rate I give him twenty more minutes until he is on the floor," Zidane whispered to Garnet with a chuckle.

"Maybe somebody should pull him away from the fountain?" she suggested, sounding a bit concerned.

"Nah, he'll be alright," he said with a shrug. The blonde then turned to her and smiled, "Thanks Dagger. That has to be the best gift anybody has ever given me."

"I am glad you like it.'

"Like it? I LOVE IT!"

"Well, you haven't seen anything yet," she foretold with a smile.

"What do you mean?" he asked, slightly curious as to what could possibly be better than a fountain full of famous Dragon's Ale.

"Oh you will see," she hinted, careful not divulge anything important but wanting to draw out his natural curiosity.

"Dagger, I don't need anything more…I don't even need that," he said pointing down at the fountain, "Even though it is the coolest thing I have ever seen. The party itself was enough for me. I hope you didn't go overboard with anything else."

"Not too much," she shook her head as she crossed her fingers behind her back. "Anyway, the play and dinner should start in a few minutes. Shall we head downstairs to grab a drink and chat before heading outside to our seats?"

"Sounds great!" he jumped, loving the idea of having some Dragon's Ale out of his fountain.

They made their way downstairs, stopping occasionally along the way to greet any guest that they happened across. When they finally made it to the floor of the grand hall, Zidane quickly grabbed a drink from a passing waiter, downed the liquid and went over to the fountain to fill it up. Garnet gave him a cold look as he walked back to meet her but she could not suppress the smile on her lips.

"What?" he defended himself from the look she gave him. "I have to have some, especially this time."

"Well did you have to down that other drink so fast?" she asked him in a serious tone.

"It was water."

"Oh," Garnet said slightly embarrassed at accusing him so quickly. "Never mind then."

"Let's go talk Mikoto and Alana and make sure they are alright," said Zidane, remembering that his sisters were in a conversation with Ruby.

Garnet nodded and they made their way over to where the two young genomes were standing. As they approached, they could hear the unique voice of the only female member of Tantalus above all others. She really knew how to talk and Zidane was aware of that. He liked Ruby but sometimes she really talked entirely too much.

"Hey Zidane," said Mikoto as soon as she saw him walked towards them. While Ruby did not notice it, Mikoto clearly said that to stop her from talking. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks Mikoto," he said with a smile and a sip of his ale.

"Well lookie here!" proclaimed Ruby with a screech. "Zidane, I haven't seen yer butt'n ages! Happy Birthday to ya! How ya doin'?"

"I'm fine Ruby," he answered and they embraced in a friendly hug. "It's good to see you too. How is everything going for you with your theatre?"

"Oh, everythin' is going mighty fine now. Tantalus is advertisin' my theatre durin' their plays and it is workin' out great so far."

"Well that's good to hear."

"Ya'll should come by an' see a play sometime," said the silver haired woman, obviously hinting at the fact that Zidane had not yet even been to her theatre to see one play, even though he said he would on numerous occasions.

"That would be so cool," said Alana excitedly. "Could I be in a play too?"

"Well sure darlin', I don't see why not?" answered Ruby. Zidane almost spit out the mouth full of Dragon's Ale he had in his mouth but he managed to keep it in check. Ruby then turned to him and smiled. "I like that one. She has a lotta spunk to her."

"Oh yea, a lot of spunk," replied Zidane throwing a glance his youngest sisters way. As he was about to take another sip of his drink, a trumpet rang out in the air causing everybody in the grand hall to go silent in their conversations.

"Thank the spirits," murmured the thief quietly, already knowing what it was for. He needed to get his sister away from Ruby before Alana started talking and even dressing like her.

"Everyone!" Garnet said as she turned around to face all of the guests that were now looking back at the young queen. Her voice carried well, something she was not always very good at but was now getting better. "Dinner and the play will begin shortly. Please make your way to your assigned seating arrangements. If you have trouble finding your seat, please ask one of the castles ushers for help. Thank you and I hope you enjoy your meal and the show!"

As soon as she was done, a small commotion was heard within the crowd but slowly everybody started to make their way out. Even Ruby had left them and was heading towards a small doorway off to the side followed by Blank and the rest of the Tantalus gang. Zidane felt a need to go after them and join in the play, just like old times but he did not. Things were different now and this was their show. Besides, Dagger would be really mad if he did that and making her upset was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Thanks for that," he told her as they turned and walked up the grand stair case and towards the balcony were their seats were located.

"For what?" she asked sheepishly, giving him a fake questioning look as they walked through the large double doors held open by two Alexandrian female soldiers and onto the balcony. The _Prima Vista II_ theatre ship filled the courtyard in front of them, its beauty and splendor enveloping the entire area. Below the balcony and leading up to the stage on the airship were the grandstands. The two watched on as ushers showed people to their seats while waiters brought food and drinks to those who were already seated.

"I knew you had something to do with the dinner bell," he said as he searched the crowd for any sign of his sisters. He quickly spotted them being shown to their front row seats by Blank. His red-haired friend said a few words to Mikoto while pointing to something on the airship and then proceeded to jump up on stage and disappear behind a prop.

"Well, I could tell you wanted to get away from Ruby," said Garnet as she sat down at a table that was set up near the edge of the balcony. "She is sweet but she sure can talk a lot."

"I wasn't me that I wanted to get away from Ruby," stated the blonde as he watched his sisters from his perch. Mikoto seemed to be staring off into space, completely oblivious to the waiter handing them drinks. Alana, on the other hand, was talking animatedly to her sister, her movements displaying her obvious excitement.

"You mean Alana?" questioned Garnet from her seat. "Alana seems to like Ruby. Why would you want to separate them? I thought you wanted your sisters to make friends and become comfortable around people?"

"I do," replied Zidane and he turned around from the edge of the balcony and sat down at the table with Garnet. "It's just Ruby can be a bit self-centered at times and I don't want Alana picking up any bad habits."

"You are starting to sound like a father," giggled Garnet as she sipped her water that a waiter placed on the table.

"I just want to protect her…both of them as best I can."

"I know and you are doing a great job. Just let her have some freedom to choose her friends. I am sure she will make the right decisions."

"I suppose your right," he sighed as he downed the rest of the ale he was holding and placed the glass on the table. Just then, the lights dimmed and a band stared playing on the theatre ship as the crowd started to cheer and applaud. Zidane leaned towards Garnet, "The play is about to start."

And just like that, loud explosions flashed from on top of the Prima Vista II as fireworks erupted and danced in the evening's sky, signally the beginning of the show. Zidane looked down to his sisters, smiling as he watched Alana clap her hands in joy as the fireworks illuminated the sky in a brilliant cascade of colors and sounds.

With the fireworks reaching their finale, a shower of purple and blue sparks erupted from the stage floor, illuminating the awing crowd. Just as the band hit their climax, multiple fireworks both in the air and on the stage went off perfectly in sync with the end of the opening piece.

As the smoke cleared from the stage, a lone figure could be seen standing with a sword in one hand and shield in the other. The crowd cheered as Blank made his way to the edge of the stage, raising his sword high in the air as he soaked in the attention.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Your Majesty Queen Garnet and all the nobles in attendance" Blank announced over all the cheering. Slowly the volume of the crowd dwindled until all that could be heard was the red-heads voice.

"Welcome to Alexandria and thank you all for coming. As you may well know, today is a celebration of someone's birthday. May the guest of honor please stand?" Blank looked directly at Zidane and pointed his sword up towards the balcony to where he was sitting. The blonde watched as the entire crowd followed the tip of Blank's sword to look at him.

"Asshole," mumbled Zidane to himself as he sat in his chair, refusing to get up.

"Go on, stand up," whispered Garnet, in a tone that was more of a command then a request.

Sighing, Zidane rose to his feet and was greeted almost instantaneously by a tremendous ovation from the crowd. He allowed the people to cheer for him as he stared daggers into his friend on stage. He never liked to be the center of attention and Blank knew this. That was probably the main reason why he did it.

"I would like to introduce you all to Zidane Tribal, born eighteen years ago this very day," announced Blank as the crowd went silent again and Zidane sat back down. "Unless you have been living under a rock, then you know his story. But just to sum it up, Zidane led a group of Hero's, which included your beloved Queen Garnet and loyal Admiral Steiner, to stop the destruction of Gaia and saved all that you hold dear."

Zidane sunk deeper into his chair with every word, wishing that Blank would just shut up and start the play. He was a little drunk which was made obvious by his rambling.

"So in his honor, and to celebrate the birthday of guy that put his life on the line for sake of hope, we will be performing a special play while dinner is served. So without further ado, Tantalus of Lindblum is proud to bring to you for the first time ever, '_The Place I'll Return To Someday'_."

With that, the red head left the stage and the curtains separated, revealing the first act. As the play began, the kitchen staff worked feverishly to make sure that everybody was served their food as quickly and smoothly as possible. Within an amazing span of fifteen minutes, every single guest was eating their meal while their eyes stayed glued to the stage.

As she took a bite of her perfectly cooked blackened fish covered in a butter lemon sauce, Garnet glanced up to look at Zidane. He had barely touched his plate; the only evidence that he had even taken a bite was the piece of beef filet that was cut off and missing. Other than that, he had not touched anything. His eyes stayed fixed upon the stage.

Garnet smiled to herself as she sat there and watched him. She wondered what he was thinking…if he was even thinking. She had no idea he would be this drawn into what was happening on stage.

The play…

She could not take full credit for the idea. It was actually Blank who came up with the thought and the rest of Tantalus agreed. They pitched the idea to her and she instantly loved it.

How could she not?

To have the tale of their epic quest to save Gaia written into a play and performed was like a dream come true. She had always wanted to be a part of that, ever since she read "_I want to be your Canary_" by Lord Avlon back when she was just a young girl. She remembered reenacting the play in her room in front of the audience of her many dolls. Back then, the idea was only a dream; a dream every seven-year-old had. But now that dream had become a reality.

This last week had been exhausting for her. Not only had she been ripping her hair out trying to plan everything for the party and making sure things would go as planned, but she also had been intimately involved in the writing and rehearsing of the play. She did not directly write nor perform but she was one of the main sources of information along with Freya, Steiner, Eiko, and many others. Nearly every aspect from various points of view was painstakingly collected to create the script. Tantalus would not say who actually wrote the play which annoyed Garnet something fierce but she dared not question.

Once she read the final script, she could care less who wrote it.

Now in front of her, right before her very eyes, a play was being performed about their quest to save Gaia. Watching the Tantalus actors on stage brought back memories of their adventure. Even though it happened a while ago, it now felt like it was just yesterday. She fought back the tears in her eyes as they beckoned to come out. She did not want to become emotional now but the performance on stage was drawing her towards that state.

As the play went on, the waiters cleaned up the main course and promptly served desert without so much as interrupting the act. The story on stage moved to a part she remembered all too well, the day she encountered her real home and found out her true identity and her true past. The memories of that day flooded back to her and tears began to swell up again. She closed her eyes and listened to the words coming from Ruby as she played the part of herself. Every phrase and every line created an image of the past in her head. She saw herself walking through the ruins of her birthplace and remembering that fateful night where everything in her life had changed. She saw herself staring at the remains of the sacred Eidolon wall and un-expectantly finding the note that her true father left for her and her true mother.

A smile crept from her lips as she opened her eyes, soaking in the happy memory.

The play continued on perfectly and Garnet watched in awe as the end drew near. She knew what scene was coming and she did not want to miss a second. They had just finished the final battle and the Hero's were leaving the violently reacting Iifa tree.

Well, all but one.

She watched as the actress playing herself stood on the edge of the prop of the Hilda Garde III. The prop slowly moved off the stage as the actress silently said farewell to the actor that was left now all alone.

Garnet had relived that moment for months. She had dreams, even nightmares about that very day. She could barely sleep sometimes and would lie in bed with nothing else to do but wonder if he was alive.

With that memory rushing back to her, she could no longer keep her emotions in check. She allowed the tears to come, welcoming the emotional release. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath but it did not help. She had let the tears come and nothing could stop them now.

As she sat there in her state, she felt a sensation on one of her hands. She slowly opened her eyes but could not see due to the tears. She used her free hand to wipe them away and looked down.

That was when she noticed it.

A hand was holding hers.

She looked over and at the man sitting across from her to see that he was staring right back. His bright turquoise eyes showed nothing but sympathy as he gave her the smallest smile and a gently squeeze of the hand. His message was clear and she smiled back.

What she would give to stay in this moment for just a while more? Nothing else mattered in the world around her. No politics, no responsibilities, no worries. Just this moment; right here, right now. She would give anything just to stay here like this for a while.

An eruption from the audience snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked back down to notice that Zidane had let go of her hand and was staring at the stage, lost in though. Pushing back the tears, she regained her composer looked over the crowd.

Every patron was on their feet, from the simple middle class on the roof tops to the nobles at the tables. Not one person was sitting down. Most were cheering as loud as they could, whistling and clapping. Some were even crying, although they were more tears of joy then sadness. Garnet was overwhelmed.

She had hoped the play would be a success but she never expected the response that was happening this very second.

As the crowd continued to applauded, a figure came out from back stage and into the open. The noise from the crowd seemed to intensify ten-fold as the man approached the edge of the stage.

Baku.

The large man was usually very hard to read but Garnet could tell he had a smile from cheek to cheek under that thick beard. He quickly lifted one large arm, sweeping it to the side as he turned, signaling the rest of the cast to come out.

And come they did. As soon as they hit the stage, the audience exploded into a deafening roar. They all lined up at the foot of the stage, each one holding the others hand.

In one fluid motion, they bowed to the crowd as a group, the roar of the audience growing even more. The noise seemed to resonate through everything, creating an aura of energy in the courtyard that almost had a life of its own.

As the crowd continued, Blank stepped forward raising his arms in a vain attempt to quite the monster. Seconds when by, then ran into minutes and the noise from the audience finally gave way to an eerie silence.

"Thank you all for coming!" announced Blank, breaking the silence. A quick burst of applause greeted the statement but he quickly raised his voice and ignored them. "I hope you all enjoyed the show just as much as we did performing it for you…"

"I LOVE YOU!!!!" screamed an inebriated female patron from the roof tops, earning a chorus of laughter from the crowd.

"Yea, love you too darling," retorted Blank as he tried to hold back a smile in vain.

He took a deep breath and looked around the audience, of which every eye was now on him. Letting out the breath in a controlled sigh, he continued on.

"While Tantalus can take all the credit for performing and entertaining, we cannot take all the credit for this entire night. If it were not for a certain person, tonight would not have been possible at all. This person gave everything they had into this event, from the scheduling and organizing of this play right down to the food you ate. We thank her for all her hard work, and did she ever work hard to make this night happen. I don't know how she had time to sleep with all the planning she was doing but she made it happen and the outcome…" the red-head swept his arms in a half circle and paused for dramatic effect. "Well, let's just say that the night was a tremendous success. So let me introduce the lady that made this whole thing possible; your very own, Queen Garnet til Alexandros the 17th!"

The entire crowd erupted in applause again as Garnet rose from her seat. She turned to face Zidane who was also standing and clapping for her as well. A smile crept to her face as she walked up to him, her eyes asking the question her mouth could not speak.

"Thank you," he whispered, just barely enough to that she could hear over the noise. He returned her smile and tilted his head towards the doorway. "You had better get doing."

"I…can't" she found herself saying without thinking.

"Why not?" Zidane asked, as he dropped his arms. He looked at her with almost a concerned look.

"What I meant to say was 'I can't…because I am waiting'," she corrected.

"Waiting for what?"

"For you to escort me down to the stage," she stated as if it should have already been obvious.

"Alright, fine," he joked as he gave a mock sigh, holding back a smile. He held is arm out for her to take and she did. They made their way off the royal balcony and down the grand staircase. Beatrix and Steiner flanked them with the female general taking the lead and the admiral bringing up the back. The main doors to the castle opened as they approached, the soldiers standing guard there hardening themselves into a salute that required every muscle of their being.

The noise from the crowd grew louder as they walked out into the courtyard and down the center aisle towards the stage. Nobody dared try anything stupid of course, not with Alexandria's powerful general leading the way.

Upon reaching the stage, Garnet greeted every member of the cast with a bow as they did the same. Zidane followed by giving each one the 'Tantalus salute'. The young queen then made her way to the foot of the stage where a podium had quickly been brought out. Atop the wooden podium was covered in a velvet drape that donned the royal colors and seal. A distinct shape could be seen under the covering but nothing else. Zidane wondered what lie under there.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining us this evening on this very special occasion," Garnet spoke in the night. Her words were strong and crisp to the point that Zidane thought even the stars were listening. Perhaps, maybe they were.

"I hope you all enjoyed the evening but before you go I would like you all to stay for one more thing."

Zidane watched as she addressed the crowd. He had never seen her with this much confidence before. She seemed to be glowing. Her smile, the one that sent chills up his spine and took his breath away, was spread out on her face. Her deep almond eyes reflected a happiness that he knew she longed to keep. He too never wanted that happiness to fade from her, ever.

"Before I continue, I would like to give a special thank you to Tantalus of Lindblum for their remarkable performance tonight. I was truly a one for the ages," she proclaimed as the crowd applauded and cheered in response. "I would also like to thank the castle staff for all their hard work and dedication that went into the diner and everything else. Without you this would not have been possible."

As she spoke the words, Zidane learned something he had not realized before. Here, right now in this very moment, she was in control. Not only was she in control, her body movements and tone of voice showed a strength that he had never seen in the past. He had noticed this before but nowhere near as evident as right now. But under all that strength was something deeper, something hidden.

He did not know what exactly it was but something inside told him that her posture and control were forced. He looked at her eyes as she spoke to the crowd. She was making eye contact with the crowd as she gave her speech but every time she paused; her eyes looked away to the sky. This small gesture was enough to tell him that her mind was not one hundred percent cleared.

Something else was on her mind, hidden deep inside where she would not reveal. He had always wanted her to be able to feel comfortable enough to tell him everything, to be able to confide in him.

But did she know that? Did he ever tell her she could tell him anything? That he would be there when ever she needed to talk to somebody? That he would listen and even sometimes, be a shoulder to cry on?

He kicked himself mentally for never letting her know that.

He could understand why she might not be telling him something. He never gave her a reason to or the option. He just never told her he would listen.

That would change.

He wanted her to know he would be there for her.

"As you all know, tonight was a special celebration for a very special person," Garnet said, her voice echoing over the vast space of the courtyard. Zidane held his breath, not knowing where she was going with the subject. "Zidane Tribal was born 18 years ago this very day, although not from this world."

The blonde thief's legs nearly gave out went he heard her say that. He knew the information was common knowledge now but he never felt the need to remind everybody about it. He preferred the subject to remain dormant.

"But even thought he was not born on Gaia, he was abandoned here and raised by the very group that just performed the marvelous play. As he grew and matured through the years, he learned to cherish his life and the lives of those around him, no matter what."

"So when Gaia was at conflict with a person from his world and the very existence of life was threatened, he chose to help us with every ounce of his being. He gave his soul; his blood, sweat and tears into defending this world even thought his destiny was suppose to be something else entirely. He changed fate by making a choice, the right choice. He chose to protect life. To protect the place he called home; our home."

The young queen turned her head and faced Zidane. All he could do was stare back into her almond eyes. Those eyes could melt him to his knees.

"For that," she said softly, as she bowed her head to the shock of everybody. "I thank you."

"Dagger…" Zidane whispered, returning the bow almost hesitantly. He could not form any words even if he tried. Suddenly the crowd started clapping, slowly at first and then a bit more vigorously. Some people were bowing just as Garnet was but most were just clapping.

Garnet eased her head back up and gave Zidane a quick smile before turning back to the crowd. Slowly the clapping subsided.

"So as a token of appreciation not only from me but from the citizens of Alexandria and of Gaia as well, I would like to present you with a gift," Garnet stated, as she gestured lightly to the object that was covered on the podium.

As if on cue, Steiner came up from behind them and silently removed the velvet cover before walking back to his position. Zidane turned to look at what was reveal.

The object was a rectangular box with no real elaborate decorations of any kind. What was more disturbing was the color. It was black as night; an emptiness that sucked color out of everything around it. Other than that, the box appeared to be just a normal box; nothing really special.

That was when Zidane noticed it.

The object sitting there on the podium seemed to be alive.

Not alive in the normal sense but as Zidane looked deeper into the blackness; it reflected deeper hues of blue and purple that moved on its own. His eyes failed to waver even though his mind told him to look away. The swirling of blue and purple seemed to gain in luminescence and intensity as he stared.

A soft touch on his arm finally broke his gaze on the box. He turned his head to look at Garnet and he could not tell which captivated his attention more; her deep brown eyes or the dark radiating mystery that was sitting on the podium.

"Open it," she whispered to him, her voice soft yet encouraging at the same time.

Slowly, Zidane reached out with both hands and touched the object before him. The box felt cold, piercing though his skin. He paused for a second to look at Garnet. She just stared back at him, silently urging him to continue. Swallowing his breath; he opening the box and glanced at the contents.

Lying in a red velvet interior were two identical daggers. The twelve inch curved blades were polished to a pristine mirror finish that reflected everything around them. The sheaths were made of the finest black leather with mythril buckles to attach to a belt. The hilts were of a dark bluish hue that matches the pigment on the outside of the box.

Could the colors he saw coming from the box be a result of what was inside…these daggers?

At the center of where the hilts contacted the base of the blade was a clear, light blue gem. The element grabbed Zidane's attention. He could swear that he saw a gem just like it before.

That was when it hit him.

The pendant…

Zidane was speechless. For the first time in his life…he was speechless.

As if sensing his situation, Garnet lifted one of the weapons out of the box, holding is across both hands. The crowd awed as they finally got their first glance at what was in the box.

"Zidane Tribal," she started as she held the dagger out towards him. "I am honored to present you with these daggers; _Alexiares and Anicetus, the Guardians_. They are twins of each other and as you can see, remaining shards of both the Royal Pendant and the Falcon's Claw have been infused within them to give the daggers protecting powers. Please take this gift as a token of our appreciation for what you did; fighting for what you believed in and what was right. You helped fight off the forces of evil and with the combined power of these, may evil never again show its ugly head."

Zidane slowly took the dagger out of her hand; he ran his fingers carefully along the flat of the blade feeling the coolness of the steel against his skin. The hilt was comfortable to hold and he could feel the power flowing through the weapon. There was a lot of power and the feeling was unlike anything he had ever felt.

Garnet watched as Zidane admired the weapon. She knew he would be surprised by the gift but she never expected him to be virtually speechless. A part of her wanted him to say something and she knew he would…once the shock passed away.

She brought her gaze up and found his bright turquoise eyes staring back at her. She smiled when she saw the happiness deep within them.

"Do you like them?" she asked in a whisper.

He did not respond. He just continued to stare back at her; his eyes not even blinking.

"Zidane…" she whispered, wondering if he was purposely ignoring her.

Still nothing…

She turned to look at Beatrix, who was stationed behind her to the right. The general's eyes were locked on them but she was not moving. She was solid as a rock.

Panic started to flow though the young queen as she looked around the courtyard. Everybody was silent and seemingly frozen in place.

Nothing seemed to be moving, not the even the wind. She glanced up to see a bird frozen in place…in mid flight.

A spell…

Somebody cast a stop spell and a very powerful one at that. But who would do that and why? And why was she still able to move?

"Who is there!?" she cried, suddenly feeling very angry. "Who did this!?"

A noise behind her, near Beatrix caused her to jump; her anger turning to sudden fear. She turned around slowly, not wanting anything to be there but knowing that there was.

A figure in shadow stood next to the frozen general. Before Garnet could even scream, the figure raised their arm with speed that seemed inhuman and pointed at her. Suddenly her limbs felt like stone and she could not move. Again panic swelled up within her as she closed her eyes in fear.

"Who are you?" she mustered out in a broken voice. She tried to fight against the spell that held her in place but it was no use. Whoever this was, they were much stronger then her.

"The dreams…," said the figure, the voice sending chills down her spine.

Garnet's eyes shot open in shock at the mention of those dreams. How could this person know about her dreams…unless?

"How did you…" her words seemed to stutter out of her mouth. She could now see the figure clearly. They were standing next to Beatrix, a dark robe covering their body and face. She could not see the eyes but she knew they were looking directly back at her. She did her best to control the panic and fear that fought to break out but her inability to move at all was wearing her down.

"The dreams…,' they repeated in the same dark hoarse voice.

"Wh…what about them?" she asked, trying her best to not display any fear in her voice.

"The time has come," answered the mysterious figure. They then raised an arm and, with a pale finger, pointed at the young queen. "Your kingdom will fall."

Then with that same inhuman speed as before, the figure turned towards Beatrix and pulled the Save the Queen from her side.

"What are you doing?" cried Garnet, her voice now soaked with panic.

The figure's cloaked head whipped back around to stare at her. "Showing you what will happen if you resist."

"NO!" screamed Garnet as she fought against the invisible bond that held her to get to her friend. She could not even reach a hand out towards her. She could not even warn her. "BEATRIX!!!!"

With that, the figure plunged the brilliant sword all the way to the hilt into the great Alexandrian general's heart before disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.

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**OKAY…Don't kill me. There is a reason for this. As the Joker says, **_**"It's all part of the plan."**_** Like I said, this is the point where everything changes and the story takes a dramatic turn. What will happen now? The start of the tournament is coming up very soon. Oh, and sup3rloz3r, your character is coming up very, very soon so keep an weather eye out on the horizon. Thank you for reading and please leave me a nice review…or criticism…I can handle it! But really, please review! I like to know how the readers view my story. It helps me grows as a writer. And spread the word about my story to anybody you know that likes this game. Thank you and hopefully I will update soon!**


	18. Ch 17: The Dream Revealed

**Author's Note: Hello my loyal readers. Terribly sorry about the long delay but again I have been super busy of late. No worries though, I am back and ready to write…hopefully. Anyway, before I begin this chapter, just a reminder to everybody that FFXIII comes out in 26 days! I cannot wait!**

**Well now that I got that aside, I want to thank all the people that reviewed the last chapter; Krimson, Duelist of the Dawn, superloser, zephyr51 and newcomers Hareru1995, Yvi-sama, and EightTailedWolf. I greatly appreciate you all taking the time to read and review this story. Special thanks to Yvi-sama, her demand for an update is why I finally buckled down to finish this chapter. BE WARNED THOUGH! This is the chapter before the start of the tournament so there is no action….yet!**

**Well anyway, now here for your disclaimer is Bodan**

**Bodan: Solark does not own anything related to Final Fantasy. All properties related to Final Fantasy are the sole ownership of Square-Enix. Solark does own his own characters; Bodan, Alana, Nathan and Krim. **

**Solark: Thank you Bodan!**

**Bodan: Word.**

**Solark: Really dude? You had to say that?**

**Bodan:…**

**Solark: Seriously?**

**Bodan:…**

**Solark: Honestly?**

**Bodan:…awkward…**

**Solark: On with the story!**

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**Chapter 17:**

**The Dream Revealed**

"_Dagger…,"_ echoed a voice that seemed distant and faint. She could barely make out the voice or where it was coming from.

_Was this a dream_, she thought, _have I been dreaming this whole time?_ She knew in her heart that she had not. She could not have been. She remembered clearly the entire event; the fear, the panic…the pain.

"_Dagger…,"_ repeated the voice, trying to draw her out from her consciousness. She did not want go back to reality. She did not want to face the truth of what had happened.

Beatrix…

She was the great Alexandrian General, one of the most feared warriors of her time. She was a leader and a personal bodyguard to the queen. But more then all that, Beatrix was her friend; perhaps the closest friend Garnet ever had. Of course she had many other friends but Beatrix was different. She was always there for her, not just because her duty required it but because she wanted to be. And Garnet wanted her there too.

Now, she was gone…

Murdered; right before her very eyes in cold blood.

She did not want to wake up. She did not want to ever wake up. Dying would kill the pain that was now slowly breaking her heart. Yes, she just wanted to die, to end anymore suffering.

And what about the last statement the figure said before they hideously plunged the sword into Beatrix's heart. If she resisted, would more die the same way? She could not handle being responsible for the deaths of anybody else, let alone her friends and those she loved.

"_Dagger…,"_ beckoned the voice, sounding even closer and clearer than before.

_Leave me alone_… _I just want to be left alone…_

"_Dagger…wake up!"_ pleaded the voice, louder than ever.

_No…I don't want to wake up…I don't ever want to wake up…Just let me go…_

Beatrix…

"Dagger, wake up!!!" cried the voice again in her head.

Suddenly her eyes fluttered open as the world focused back into existence. As her vision cleared, she saw two bright turquoise eyes staring worriedly back at her.

"Dagger, are you okay?" whispered Zidane, his voice full of concern. She must have passed out after what happened and fell to the ground once the mysterious person vanished and let go of their hold on her.

"No…," she muttered, not able to produce anything more than a whimper. As soon as the memory of what happened came back to her, tears flooded her eyes and ran down her face. She allowed him to help her up from the floor even though she did not trust her legs to carry her. He sensed this and held her arm while rubbing her back in support. She noticed through her blurred vision that the crowd was still there, although they were silently in shock.

"Dagger, what happened?" asked Zidane while he continued to rub her back.

"Beatrix…" she cried softly through her sobs and tears. Her voice was broken and barely recognizable.

"Yes, my queen?" came a familiar voice from behind her.

Garnet froze in shock and quickly turned around to come face to face with the great Alexandrian general. Her heart pounded in her chest and her knees threatened to betray her. She could not believe what she was seeing. She had watched that evil person run the general's very own sword through her heart. She should have been dead.

But here she was; alive and standing right before her.

Without thinking, Garnet threw herself at Beatrix; embracing the general in a way she never had. She hugged her tight, believing only minutes before that she was forever lost from her life.

Beatrix stood there, embrace by her queen, with a shocked expression. But almost as if it was necessary, she returned the gesture and placed her hands on the young girl's arms, giving them a gentle squeeze.

"Is everything okay, my queen?" asked Beatrix as she looked down at Garnet. The young summoner looked up at her friend with tear filled eyes. The pain of her emotions from before burst out like a waterfall; out of control. She had though her friend was dead…taken from her life forever. The pain in realizing that had been so great that she wished her own life to end as well.

Now, as if a miracle had happened, her friend was right there and she never wanted to let her go.

A hand gently brushed her back as she slowly released her embrace on Beatrix and stepped back. She looked to see Zidane right next to her; a look of extreme concern deep in his eyes.

"Dagger…," whispered the thief, wanting to comfort her but needing to know what was wrong.

Garnet finally noticed a presence all around her. Everybody that was on stage had gathered around her, their faces etched with concern. Zidane, Beatrix, Steiner, and all the members of Tantalus were near her now, making sure she was alright and wanting to know what happen. They deserved to know the truth. They all did and she was selfish for not telling anybody.

With a deep breath, Garnet tried her best to regain her composure. She wiped the remaining tears from her eyes, trying to clear her vision. She then turned to Zidane and nodded.

"We need to talk," Garnet whispered as she looked into his eyes. He nodded in response all while continuing to rub her back.

"Everyone," she added as she scanned her friends that were all around her. They looked on without saying a word but their faces revealed the urge to know.

She needed to tell them.

They deserved the truth.

* * *

Two hours later, just before midnight, the courtyard where the play had taken place was vacant. Only the theater ship remained as well as the castle staff, which were in the midst of the post party clean up. Nearly everyone that had come to the celebration was gone save for only a select few. They were all gathered in the castle meeting hall that lie adjacent to the library on the first floor.

Garnet sat at the head of the table with her hands folded on her lap. She looked up to see all the faces staring back at her, eagerly waiting to hear what she had to say. All of her friends were present, from Regent Cid and his family, to Freya and Fratley, all the way down to Zidane and Tantalus. She made no qualms about leaving anybody out. They all were her friends and they all had an equal right to know.

As she shifted in her seat, she noticed a figure walk into the room. She recognized the deep blue eyes and strong posture, and watched as Nathan stood next to his cousin at the opening to the hall. He did not make any eye contact with her but she did not object to his presence. Maybe he could even be of some help.

Slowly she stood, her hands still folded in front of her.

"I would like to apologize for what happened earlier,' she started, trying her best to display sincerity. "I know it is late and you all would like to get some rest or go back to your homes-"

"Nonsense!" interrupted Cid from across the table. "Even if I did go home, I would not be able to sleep. Not with knowing there could be something wrong with my niece or…or even worse."

"He's right," added Zidane, who was seated to her right. "None of us would be able to sleep knowing you could be in danger. Whatever is happening, you can tell us; we can help."

"I know," nodded Garnet, "that is why I wanted to talk to you all. I need to tell you something."

She quickly gathered her thoughts, deciding to start with the basics and lead from there.

"As some of you might have noticed," she began, taking a quick glance at Beatrix and Zidane, "lately I have had a lot on my mind, especially with the party and all my other responsibilities."

"But that's not all," inserted the thief beside her. She could tell by his voice that he had already known there was something disturbing her. She silently appreciated the fact that he had the patience and respect not to pressure her about it.

"No," she confirmed, deciding to get straight to the point. "About a month ago, I had a dream."

She paused to see if anybody said anything. They all stayed silent, so she continued.

"At first I thought nothing of it, believing it to be just a random nightmare. But then the dream kept occurring over and over. Each time it would be longer then the last; with the latest and most detailed episode happening last night."

"What happened in these dreams?" asked Freya, as she stood to the side of the large meeting table. "Do you remember anything?"

Garnet then went into more detail about the dreams, leaving out nothing. She told them where she was in them and about the dark setting. Eiko gasped when she told them about the Alexander summon spell and the old man with the horn but nobody said anything when she mentioned the dark mysterious voice and the words that it spoke.

"My queen, why did you not tell us about this sooner?" questioned Steiner, who was standing next to Beatrix. Many others in the room nodded and murmured in agreement.

"I know…I should have and I am sorry," stated the young summoner. "I just did not think anything of it and believed they were just random nightmares that I was having. I thought they were occurring due to the stress I was under from all my duties. I did not want to bother anybody if that was the case." She looked down at the table before adding, "I fear I was wrong in doing so."

The room was silent for a second after her last statement. She hoped they believed her and did not think she was crazy.

"What about what happened out on stage?" Zidane asked, begging the question everybody wanted the answer to.

"That I believe was something entirely different, yet I feel was somehow connected to those dreams," Garnet said, as she looked back up at everyone. She paused again, not sure how to explain what happened and wondering how they all would take it.

"Go on, my dear," insisted Cid, breaking the short silence that temporarily held the room.

"Well it happened when I was giving Zidane his gift," she began, gesturing a hand towards the blonde next to her. "As I watched him admire the daggers, I looked into his eyes and noticed that he was staring right back at me; unmoving. When I looked around, I saw that everybody was still…even a bird was trapped in mid flight. That was when I realized that a stop spell had been cast."

"That's impossible," interrupted Eiko from her seat. "We would have felt it if a spell was cast on us. And even so, in order to stop the entire courtyard…the spell would have to have been extremely powerful."

"She has a point," added Hilda next to her. "Even if there was somebody or something out there that was strong enough to cast that spell over everything in the area, we surely would have felt the magic afterwards."

"Unless they erased all traces of the magic after it was removed," Garnet guessed, trying to plead her case. "I know what I saw and that was definitely a stop spell. They cast it on everything around me at once."

"Maybe they did not cast a spell on everybody," said Beatrix from her post. All eyes turned to face the general. "Maybe they cast a spell on you alone, my queen."

"Time magic…," murmured Nathan from her side.

"Exactly; if this person knew how to wield time magic, they could have created an illusion in your mind-"

"Impossible!" spat Cid as he leaned back in his chair. "Time magic is an ancient art that has not been seen for ages. There are no mages that have that type of power anymore."

"So you think," said Beatrix quietly as she glared at the Regent with her one good eye. "I happen to know a bit about time magic and while that art is extremely dangerous to perform; there are powerful spells that could perform tasks just as this. It is a possibility."

Her last statement was spoken slowly, as if to dare anybody to question. Nobody did.

"Before we jump to any conclusions, I think Dagger should tell us the rest so we know the full story," stated Zidane before turning to the young queen. "Go on."

"Okay," nodded Garnet, grateful that the thief was on her side. "Once the spell was in effect, the person responsible appeared and caught me off guard. They cast another spell on me and I could not do anything but watch or speak."

"W-what did this person look like?" asked Gene in her tiny voice.

"I could not see their face. They were covered in a dark robe that hid their features. The only part of their body I saw was their hands."

"How do you know this is connected to your dreams?" asked Freya.

"Because they mentioned them," answered Garnet, as she looked back down at the table again. She did not want to remember the next part or relive the pain. Tears started coming back as she tried to get the words out. "Then they…..they…"

"They what?" pressured Zidane but not in a menacing way. He reached out and touched her hand, reassuring her that everything was fine. "It is okay, Dagger. You can tell us; we are here for you."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "They pointed at me and said, _'The time has come. Your kingdom will fall' _and then turned around and grabbed Beatrix sword from her side."

The general's hand went for her sword; her hands brushing against the familiar object. "Why did they do that?" she asked, her tone becoming hard.

"To show me what would happen if I resisted," stated Garnet, the tears coming freely now just like before. "They plunged the sword into your heart, Beatrix. I screamed and cried and tried to get to you but I could not move…there was nothing I could do. I thought you were dead." She covered her face in her hands as she fell back into her seat, her back heaving as she sobbed openly.

"My queen…," pleaded Beatrix as she took a step forward, the hardness gone from her voice.

"I am fine," insisted Garnet, as she sat up straight and wiped the remaining tears from her face. "The last thing I remember was the person disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke. After that, it was like I was lost in my own consciousness. The pain of what had happened was too much. I just wanted it to end. I did not want anyone else to suffer because of me. That's when I heard your voice," she added as she looked at Zidane. "You brought me back from the dark place I was heading."

As she finished, the room remained silent for a while, everybody lost in their own thoughts, trying to piece together what she had told them. Beatrix was the first to speak.

"That definitely sounds like time magic," she stated, taking another step forward. "Whoever this was, they used very powerful and dangerous magic to create an illusion in your mind. What seemed like minutes to you was only a fraction of a second to us."

"I believe you are right," agreed Cid as he shifted in his seat. "Time magic seems to be the only thing that fits. But it does not make any sense. That form of magic has not been seen for ages…centuries even. Why has it come back now and why are they targeting you?"

"I don't believe they are targeting just Dagger," spoke Zidane. He had been very quite after Garnet had told them about the incident on stage.

"What do you mean?" questioned the Regent.

"Don't you remember?" he retorted as he turned to look the ruler of Lindblum in the face.

"I'm afraid not."

"What that strange figure said," he paused as his eyes spanned the room. "The mysterious person from our incident with the airship said the exact same thing. They said, _'Her kingdom will fall again.'_"

"You are right…I remember that part."

"And then they d-disappeared," added Gene, "in a cloud of purple smoke just like the person Dagger saw."

"You're right, Gene," exclaimed Zidane, having nearly forgot about that part.

"So what are we saying," posed Cid from the far end of the table. "Are we saying that the events of tonight and Garnet's dreams are connected to what happened to Zidane on the Forgotten Continent and the destruction of Conde Petie?"

"Is the evidence not clear enough," pushed Zidane, a hint of irritation creeping out. "All this happening in such a short time period cannot be taken lightly. The facts are just too similar to ignore. We must take the appropriate precautions necessary."

"Well, what should we do?" asked Garent, her voice much clearer now. "The opening ceremonies for the Royal Alexandrian Tournament are tomorrow evening. There will be thousands of people here for the festivities."

The regent seemed to take a moment to ponder before continuing. "I can spare some of my troops for added security. Not so much as to cause any kind of alarm but enough to help protect in the remote case that anything happens."

The rest of the room voiced their agreement with the regent's choice.

"This in no way means that I believe something bad is going to happen," he added, silencing the room once again. "But I do agree that the events of the past two weeks are enough to warrant a level of concern. Hopefully we can find out whoever is behind what has been happening before anymore harm can be done."

"And when we do," spat Beatrix from her post, "I shall run my blade into _their _heart for threatening my queen!" Her anger was evident as she balled her fists. Steiner placed a hand gently on her shoulder, in a vain attempt to calm her down.

"Thank you, all of you," stated Garnet, her voice full of appreciation. "We should all go now and get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day."

With that, everybody got up and made their way out. Some came over to the young queen, with looks of concern in on their faces. She appreciated their worry and told them that she was fine when they asked if there was anything they could do. Nearly all of them would be here tomorrow and she would be in better shape to talk then.

As they all left, Cid came over to Garnet and placed his hands softly on her shoulders giving them a gentle squeeze.

"You know," he started with a smile; "Hilda and I are always here if ever you need to talk. You have a lot of responsibilities for somebody your age. You don't have to do it all alone."

"I know, Uncle," she sighed, returning his smile with one of her own.

"I will see you tomorrow, dear," he said before giving her a soft kiss on the forehead and turning to leave.

"Bye…," she muttered as she watched him leave the room. For a second she thought she was now alone until she heard a noise come from behind her. She turned to see Zidane standing there with the black box resting in his hands.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, a hint of lingering concern still evident in his voice.

"I am," she answered, appreciating his concern. He was immature at times but his heart was always true. He cared deeply for his friends and would do anything to make sure they were safe.

"Well," he added as he walked towards her, "if you need any company because of the dreams-" He was abruptly interrupted by a loud grunt that came from the outside doorway; where Steiner and Beatrix were standing.

"I'm only kidding," he stated, loud enough so that they could hear.

Garnet gave a soft giggle at the incident; reminding her of how simple and fulfilling life could be if you lived it to the fullest.

"Enough about me," she started, trying to change the subject. "I want to know how you like your gift." She motioned with her head to the box that the blonde thief carried.

"Oh," he answered as he looked down at the dark box that he carried. He laid the box on the table and opened the lid, revealing the two daggers resting within. He reached in and picked up one of them by the hilt. He instantly noticed the rush of magical power flow from the weapon and into his body. The sensation was cold, yet oddly not like any normal object that was cold felt. The feeling sent tingling chills down his spine that would normally cause somebody to flinch but not him. "I love them, really I do; but you did not need to do this. I know how much those gems mean to you and your heritage. I don't know if I can accept a gift like this."

"Don't be silly," hushed Garnet with a stare. "Those are only shards of the original gems. Remember they broke apart when _Alexander_ was overtaken by the _Invincible_. The remaining majority of the crystals are locked away in the castle."

"But still, wouldn't you want to keep it all together. What if they could be fixed? Would you not need all the pieces?"

"Zidane," started the young Queen softly, taking a step towards the thief. "I had those pieces infused with the daggers because I wanted you to have them. If it was not for you, we would not be here today. This is not only my gift to you but a gift from the whole of Gaia."

She took another step towards him and slowly removed the dagger from his hand. Giving him a smile, she turned to place the dagger back in the box; closing the lid after. She then took the dark box and gave it back to him.

"Besides," she added with another smile. "The gems were but a tool to help teach us how to call the eidolon. The ability to perform the summon now lies with Eiko and I, and us alone."

"Thank you, Dagger," Zidane said before walking towards the door. He got halfway there before he stopped and turned around. "One thing though?" he began as he looked at her with his bright turquoise eyes.

"What is it?" she asked him back.

"When I held the dagger, I sensed an awful lot of power surging through them. It was unlike anything I have ever felt before yet it was oddly familiar. Who made them?"

"Ah, that I cannot tell."

Zidane sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well can you tell me what the power is that I am feeling when I hold them?"

"That," she began in a playful tone, "you will have to find out on your own."

"Fine!" he said in a sarcastic tone as he rolled his eyes. "You're a tough one to crack, Dagger."

"I know," she replied with a shrug. "I learn from the best."

Zidane could only smile at her comment. She sure did learn from the best. Not only that. She was a very tough individual; with a will as strong as iron. That was what he loved the most about her. But that had its negatives sides as well. He was not going to get anything out of her anytime soon.

"Alrighty, you have a good night and I will see you tomorrow," he said, tucking the dark box under his arm.

"You too, Zidane," she answered.

"Later," he added before turning and walking out the door.

The queen of Alexandria now stood alone, her thoughts the only thing between her and total silence. She had a lot on her mind but not enough time to process anything. Tomorrow was another day and a busy one at that. Alexandria was going to become the central focus of all of Gaia. She needed to get as much rest as she possibly could.

Sleep.

That was something she avoided lately but now desperately needed. She had been afraid of sleep due to the dreams but now she was determined to overcome them. The events of today would bother her no more. She would not be bullied or intimidated any longer.

She had get to the bottom of what was going on and do her best to protect her friends and her kingdom. That was her duty as a queen…and as a friend.

With a new resolve, she headed out of the room and towards the grand staircase, nodding to Beatrix and Steiner as she made her way to her room for the night.

Tomorrow was another day and she would make sure everything went exactly as scheduled.

* * *

The room was dark, the only available light coming from the open window as the blue moon pierced its way through. Alana shifted in her bed, trying her best to get comfortable. She could hear the slow breathing of her sister in the bed next to her as Mikoto slept soundly. The younger genome wished that she could to the same but her mind was racing after the events of tonight.

She turned on her side to face the window; away from her sister. After Garnet revealed what had happened, she had become silent and afraid. Not because of what the young queen was telling her but from what she did not tell everybody else.

She had seen the entire thing.

She watched as everything happened on stage. Her body was frozen for reasons she did not know but she could clearly see what was going on. She watched as the dark figure stabbed the general and then disappeared. She heard Garnet scream and her eyes closed as she passed out.

And then in a flash, everything was moving again. Zidane was lowering Garnet to the floor, catching her faster than Alana had ever seen anybody move. Beatrix sword was at her side; not in her chest like she had seen.

Alana was shocked and confused, unable to understand what she just saw. That was until Garnet told everybody about what had happened.

But still she remained silent.

Why did she see the events that unfolded while everybody else did not? If the spell was indeed and illusion caused by time magic and targeted solely on Garnet, was it somehow targeted at her as well? If so, why did the person responsible want her to see it?

All the questions bursting from her head were starting to cause a dull pain in her temple. She pulled the covers of the bed tighter around her, as she sunk into them. She wished sleep would come to clear her mind but knew that would not help.

Sighing, she looked at her night stand, noticing the object she had placed there before lying down. The rough outline of the stone she found near the dwarf village was hidden in the darkness, but its surface reflected bits of moon light as they filtered though the curtains.

Slowly she reached out and removed the stone from the stand, bringing the object closer to her so she could see it better. The stone felt cold in her hand, sending a chill through her arm. She ran her fingers along the roughness of the stone, feeling the sharp edges and smooth flats. A smile came to her lips as she silently held what she had found. Her sister had told her when she came across the gem that if it brought her happiness she should keep it. So she did and now every time she held the stone she could not help but smile.

As she lay in bed, something caught her attention. She did not notice it at first but as she listened closer she heard it again.

Someone…or something was whispering.

Instantly her instincts kicked in as she shot up in bed, her dagger in her hand. She strained to listen, hoping to hear the voice again and at the same time fearing not to. As seconds dragged into minutes, she did not hear a sound save for the wind brushing the curtains as it passed through. Alana let out a sign and lay back down, her dagger still in her hand. Her mind must be playing tricks on her, especially after the events of today. Sleep would not come easy tonight.

Frustrated, she brought the stone that was still in her other hand closer to her face so she could see it. If she could not sleep then see could at least look at her prize. As her eyes followed the outline of the object in her hand, she heard the noise again.

Only this time it seemed to come directly from the stone itself.

Her eyes widened as her grip tightened around the hilt of her dagger. Was somebody playing a trick on her, or did the stone possibly have some magical properties still dormant inside of it?

As she looked closer, a faint flicker of light emanated from the stone. Shocked, her instinct was to drop the stone but curiosity got the better of her.

Suddenly a deep humming filled her ears and she knew something was dreadfully wrong.

Before she had any time to react, the light from the stone engulfed her and plunged her world into darkness.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**** Well this cliffhanger is nowhere near as bad as last chapters I admit but it's still bad. Yes Beatrix is alive; let me know if you liked that little twist. I am evil! Anyway, as per usual, please leave a review if you can. I am always striving to improve so any form a criticism is appreciated. This was the chapter that caused me to most grief to write, mainly because it is where Garnet finally opens up to everybody, in more ways than one and it is the chapter that leads into the tournament…FINALLY!!!!!! Action will be heavy in the upcoming chapters so stay tuned!**


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